EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Demountable Classrooms (Colchester)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will visit the St. Andrew's Infant and Junior Schools in Colchester to inspect the demountable classrooms.

Stephen Twigg: While I am always very pleased to visit schools, I understand that Local Authority officials have met this week with the St. Andrew's Infant and Junior Schools to discuss accommodation issues and future developments. It might be best if we wait to see the outcome of that meeting before a visit is planned.

University Terms

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) guidance he gives to universities and (b) evidence he collates on the length of university terms.

Charles Clarke: The standard academic year is 30 weeks and student support arrangements are based around this. The Student Loans Company collects information from institutions on term dates for the purposes of administering the student support system. However I do not give guidance nor does my Department collect any additional information on the length of university terms.

Top-up Fees

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent representations he has received from Oxford University about the impact of top-up fees on the socio-economic backgrounds of applicants.

Charles Clarke: I have received a number of enquiries from a variety of sources since the launch of the White Paper and expect to receive more during the period for comment.

University Admissions

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the quality of teaching at secondary level on the rate of admission of pupils from poor backgrounds to university; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We know that the main reason for the social class division in higher education participation is differential attainment in schools and colleges. We are reforming education in secondary schools and our 14–19 strategy will promote higher aspirations and levels of attainment by age 19.

Access Regulator

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he will appoint the Access Regulator for universities.

Charles Clarke: The Access Regulator will be in place in good time to carry out the functions ascribed to him or her in the White Paper "The Future of Higher Education".

Headteachers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he will take to ensure that headteachers of schools are (a) provided with details of how much they are set to receive, and when, following spending reviews and (b) better able to plan on a long-term basis and provided with details about future funding.

David Miliband: The Government announced the provisional level of local education authorities' education formula spending shares on 5 December. Final figures are due to be confirmed on 3 February. It is for each authority to determine the level of resource that their schools receive via the local formula funding methodology, although the Secretary of State has power to determine a minimum size of an authority's total schools budget. On 10 December, a letter from the Department confirmed the Government's policy of encouraging authorities to move towards giving schools indicative three year budgets. We told LEAs that we would publish as much information as possible about future funding on a three year basis, so that authorities could commit themselves to issuing three year indicative budgets to their schools in return for more detailed controls on local school balances. A technical note was included in the letter to allow authorities to begin the process of drawing up three year budgets.

Higher Eduction (Family Incomes)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students in full-time higher education are from families whose family income is (a) £10,000 or less, (b) £10,001 to £15,000, (c) £15,001 to £20,000 and (d) over £20,001 using the same definition of income as he proposes to use in assessing eligibility for a maintenance grant.

Charles Clarke: In my Statement to the House on Higher Education on 22 January I said that 30 per cent. of students would benefit in full from the new Higher Education Grant of £1,000, available for those whose income was below £10,000. I have since received more up-to-date data which indicate that within the 30 per cent. of students to be supported, we may be able to afford to raise the threshold for the full grant higher than the proposed £10,000. The revised data are currently being checked and validated and I will make a further statement to the House when this has been completed. I shall also write to my hon Friend at that point with a more detailed answer to her question.

Home Economics Lessons

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to reintroduce the teaching of home economics into schools.

David Miliband: All primary pupils have to study design and technology, including work with food and textiles within the national curriculum. Typically primary pupils learn food preparation and cooking skills, including food hygiene, and are encouraged to develop positive attitudes to healthy eating and food choice. The Government strongly encourage secondary schools to offer pupils the opportunity to study food technology, and around 90 per cent. do so. Food, nutrition and healthy eating are also taught within science and personal, social and health education (PSHE) at both primary and secondary level. Many secondary pupils also have the opportunity to study textiles through both design and technology and art and design. Home economics is still available as a GCSE title and includes food and nutrition, textiles and child development. Both food technology and textiles technology GCSE courses have proved extremely popular and more young people now take these courses, than previously entered for home economics before the introduction of the national curriculum.

Learning Support Assistants

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost is of training learning support assistants to become primary teachers in this financial year; and if he will invest in such training in areas of substantial teacher shortage on the fringes of London.

David Miliband: In 2002–03 funding for higher education based postgraduate primary teacher training is £5,400 per trainee. Postgraduate trainee teachers may also be eligible for a £6,000 bursary. Training providers receive £4,400 for each year of training for undergraduate primary trainee teachers.
	For the Graduate Teacher Programme route into teaching, grants of up to £17,500 are available towards trainees' salary, training and assessment costs. So far this academic year, 770 former teaching assistants have begun training through this route.
	My Department's recent consultation paper "Developing the roles of school support staff" proposes ways of improving career progression routes for teaching assistants and other support staff, including routes to qualified teacher status (QTS). Funding will be provided to support training for those who wish to take on higher-level roles and the training they receive will provide a first step towards QTS for those who wish to progress further.

Sector Skills Development Agency

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the likelihood of the Sector Skills Development Agency meeting its target of licensing eight sector skills councils by 31 March; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 4 February 2003
	No target for the licensing of Sector Skills Councils has ever been set. My Department has told the Sector Skills Development Agency from the outset that they should work to a standard, not a deadline. It is more important that they take the time to ensure that applicants develop their proposals properly, with full involvement of sector employers, and so have the ability to deliver our ambitions for the new network. Good progress is being made in developing the network. Five trailblazer Sector Skills Councils were announced in December 2001 and nine further sectors are in the final phase of developing Sector Skills Council proposals for consideration by the Sector Skills Development Agency. We expect the first SSCs to be licensed early in 2003.

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many telephone helplines are sponsored by his Department; and which of these helplines are charged at (a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate.

Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills currently sponsor 16 national telephone helplines. 12 of these lines are available on 0800 numbers and therefore are available free to the public.
	A further three helplines, Laptops for Teachers—a helpline aimed to help increase teacher's personal access to ICT, Curriculum On Line—a helpline which is designed to give teachers easy on line access to digital learning products to support their teaching across the curriculum and the Department's Public Enquiry Point (PEU)—the official contact point for members of the general public seeking information on all areas of the Department for Education and Skills activities are all available on national rate (0870) numbers.
	Prolog is the Department's telephone helpline for individuals to order publications or respond to consultations or specific advertising campaigns and is available at local rate charge (0845).
	In addition the Department regularly works with outside partners during the year to set up, or provide temporary support for, helplines for specific campaigns. These helplines are all available free to callers (0800). Those planned for this year are:
	One Life:revision (25–27 March): a national helpline run in conjunction with Radio 1 to help young people as they prepare for their GCSE/A/AS level/Standard and Higher examinations.
	Adult Learners' Week (12–16 May): an annual national helpline, linked to learndirect for those individuals who want information and advice about returning to learning.
	One Life:travel (10 and 11 May): a national helpline supporting Radio 1 and offering listeners information and advice on vocational, training and educational opportunities at home and abroad.
	One Life:results (12–22 August): another national and annual helpline which supports Radio 1 and offers information and advice to students as they receive their examination results.

Theft/Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Charles Clarke: An estimate of the cost of theft and fraud to my Department in 2001–02 is £70.077 million. The amount is made up as follows.
	
		
			  £million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Individual Learning Accounts 67.000 
			 TEC/Training Providers 2.827 
			 Teachers Pensions 0.242 
			 Thefts in DfES 0.008 
		
	
	The estimated loss on Individual Learning Accounts has been accepted by the NAO and appears in the DfES's 2001–02 accounts. The amounts due in respect of TECs and Training Providers was recovered during the settlement negotiations following closure of the TECs.
	Information in relation to NDPBs is not collected centrally.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Lenient Sentences

Andrew Selous: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations she has received from victims of crime about the review of unduly lenient sentences.

Harriet Harman: In the last year 33 victims have contacted the Attorney and myself personally complaining of unduly lenient sentences. Of those we referred six cases to the Court of Appeal which increased the sentence in three. In addition to those cases raised directly by victims, we have considered 325 other cases of unduly lenient sentences of which we referred 151 to the Court of Appeal.

Victim Impact Statements

Ann Coffey: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of the use of victim impact statements by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Harriet Harman: Victim Personal Statements, were introduced in October 2001 to give victims the chance to explain how the crime has affected them. They help the court when sentencing. The CPS also use these statements to identify those victims who may need special help in giving their evidence. The Home Office are leading an evaluation of them.

Plea Bargaining

Graham Allen: To ask the Solicitor-General what guidance she gives to the Crown Prosecution Service relating to not proceeding with murder charges in return for a plea of guilty to manslaughter; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: Cases of murder are conducted under the guidance of the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The code sets out the circumstances in which guilty pleas to less serious charges can be accepted. In such cases the prosecution should be prepared to explain their reasons in open court and speak to the victim's family, take their views into account and to explain the situation.

PRIME MINISTER

Judge William Taylor

Gary Streeter: To ask the Prime Minister when his officials intend to respond to the request for funding made to them by Judge William Taylor on 2 February.

Tony Blair: As far as I am aware, my office has not yet received a letter from Judge William Taylor.

Zimbabwe

Peter Pike: To ask the Prime Minister if he discussed at his recent meeting with the President of South Africa the situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I met President Mbeki on 1 February. We had discussions on a wide range of issues, including Zimbabwe. We shared our understanding of the problems faced by Zimbabwe. President Mbeki said his government are engaged in dialogue with the Zimbabwe authorities to address the difficulties in the country. The UK's position has always been that there must be a return to democracy and the rule of law. We will continue to assist in tackling the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Zimbabwe

Kate Hoey: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the South African President about Zimbabwe.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike).

TRANSPORT

Channel Tunnel (Central Railway)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maximum number of train paths per year through the Channel Tunnel is that would be allocated to Central Railway under their proposals.

David Jamieson: holding answer 31 January 2003
	Paths through the Channel Tunnel are made available according to the general rules applying to all train operators requesting capacity. The available allocation for any operator will depend on the characteristics of the paths requested and also on the demand from other users.

Congestion Charges

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 523W, on congestion charges, whether exemptions or concessions under his uniform minimum standard will apply to (a) parents taking young children to school, (b) night workers, (c) key workers in the public services, (d) small business and (e) residents living a short distance outside a charge zone.

David Jamieson: holding answer 31 January 2003
	We will consult on the scope of a uniform minimum standard of exemptions and concessions in due course once we have had an opportunity to take into account the experiences gained from road user charging schemes in London and Durham.

Empty Homes

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many empty homes his Department (a) had five years ago and (b) have now, by region; if he will establish an empty homes strategy within his Department; and if he will set a target for reduction in empty homes.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002. As at 31 December 2002, the Department owned 577 dwellings, all of which were held by the Highways Agency. The table shows the breakdown by the Highways Agency regional office.
	
		Highways Agency vacant residential properties at 31 December 2002
		
			 Branch Total stock Vacant Habitable and vacant Habitable and vacant over six months Uninhabitable (vacant)  
		
		
			 Bedford 117 18 9 2 9 
			 Birmingham 124 27 12 3 15 
			 Dorking 96 19 8 2 11 
			 Exeter 54 9 3 0 6 
			 Manchester 186 27 9 0 18 
			 Totals 577 100 41 7 59 
		
	
	Note:
	Columns 3 to 5 are not in addition to column 2. Of the 100 vacant properties 41 were habitable and vacant (column 3) of which seven were vacant over six months (column 4) and 59 were vacant and uninhabitable (column 5).
	The Department undertakes a continual review of its property needs and takes measures to dispose of property which is surplus to business needs in accordance with Government Accounting Regulations. The Highways Agency manages its portfolio to minimise the number of unoccupied houses, maximise the rental income and safeguard the value of its properties. The Highways Agency has been in discussion with both Transport and Housing Ministers about making more of its houses available to social housing groups and key workers in areas of housing need and will work in partnership with social housing groups to achieve this. Any property, which the Agency has acquired, that is not needed for road operation is sold to obtain best economic, social or heritage value.
	The Highways Agency is already subject to the following targets, which it successfully achieved in the last year: that no more than 15 per cent. of its housing stock is vacant on 31 March in any year; and that no more than 3 per cent. of habitable properties are empty for more than six months.
	Although the number of vacant properties as at 31 December 2002 exceeds the 15 per cent. target (17.3 per cent.) it is not uncommon to be above the target level at that time of year and current forecasts indicate that the target is likely to be reached by 31 March 2003.

External Consultants

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) technical and financial contracts, (b) technical consultants used on a call-off basis and (c) financial consultants used on a call-off basis by (i) the Health and Safety Commission and (ii) Health and Safety Executive relating to railway matters since April 2002, the nature of the assignment for each consultant, and the value of work done by each consultant.

David Jamieson: The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) does not commission its own work as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), set up under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, has executive responsibility for commissioning appropriate work on HSC's behalf.
	The HSE does not let financial contracts and therefore has no information in respect of financial contracts or financial consultants.
	The technical contracts commissioned by HSE (including HMRI) in relation to railway matters since April 2002 are as follows:
	
		External research
		
			 Contractor Title 
		
		
			 ABB Eutech Ltd. Control and Protective systems: Assessment methodology 
			 Scientifics Ltd. New requirements for the transport of dangerous goods by rail 
			 BOMEL Evaluation of railway safety case regulations 
			 Business Strategy Group The relationship between the railways industry and HSE 
			 University College, London FN curves and criterion lines for railways and other transport modes 
			 AEA Rail Classification of railway schemes 
			 Competence Assurance Solutions Ltd. Classification of railway schemes 
			 National Economic Research Associates Review of the economic aspects of the ERTMS project team Report 
		
	
	
		External support
		
			 Contractor Title 
		
		
			 Mr. P. Grant Safe movement of trains—independent evaluation of initial drafting 
			  
			 External support—Call-off agreements 
			 NEL(1) Technical review of the ERTMS project team report 
			 WS Atkins Technical aspects of SPAD investigations 
			 Serco Assurance Potters Bar investigation 
			 Serco Assurance(1) West Ealing Derailment—Forensic examination of track 
		
	
	
		External support—Framework Agreements
		
			 Project No Title Contractor 
		
		
			 191(1) Technical review of the ERTMS project team report NEL 
			 192 Technical aspects of SPAD investigations WS Atkins 
			 199 Potters Bar investigation Serco Assurance 
			 234(1) West Ealing Derailment—Forensic examination of track Serco Assurance 
		
	
	(1) These projects were commissioned by Directorate/Divisions of HSE other than HMRI.
	The values of individual contracts are commercially confidential, but the total cost of these contracts to date is £998,534.

Theft/Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been lost by his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft for each year since 1996–97.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) of 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 144W.
	From 1997–97 to 2001–02 transport formed part of the DETR and DTLR. For information relating to that period, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for DTLR (Dr. Whitehead) to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) on 29 January 2002, Official Report, columns 178–79W). Transport specific information for previous years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Government Car Service

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor vehicles supplied to (a) himself, (b) Ministers of State, (c) Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, (d) Special Advisers and (e) departmental officials as part of their employment package or terms of office will have the congestion charge paid out of public monies.

David Jamieson: Ministers at this Department, including myself, and the Permanent Secretary have the use of cars for official business while they are in office. These cars are supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency and the cost is met by the Department. As it has been for many years and over successive Governments.

Hire Boats

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what arrangements are in place to ensure (a) that all boats which ply for hire, offer pleasure trips, offer sea angling trips or are available for private hire are seaworthy, (b) that the skipper is competent and (c) that satisfactory public and passenger liability insurance is held;
	(2)  what the role of the Marine and Coastguard Agency is in relation to the registration and licensing of passenger vessels, which ply for hire, offer pleasure trips, offer sea angling trips or may be hired privately;
	(3)  what authority is charged with the licensing of boats carrying 12 or fewer passengers in Scotland.

David Jamieson: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for matters relating to the safety of sea-going passenger vessels which ply for hire privately around the UK coast. The vessels must be surveyed, operated and certificated to specific standards.
	The MCA Codes of Practice cover commercially operated vessels under 24 metres in length, operating with up to 12 passengers. The MCA or an authorised Certifying Authority will issue Code Vessel Certificates.
	The skipper of such a vessel is required to hold a qualification appropriate to its operation. The MCA does not require insurance as part of the issue of a Code Vessel Certificate, but insurance is strongly recommended.
	Vessels that have Code of Practice certificates are not required to hold Local Authority licences. However, under the provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, Local Authorities may still issue licences provided that the vessel has a UK Load Line or Load Line Exemption Certificate. Such licences are acceptable in place of certificates issued to vessels under the relevant MCA Code of Practice.
	There is no requirement for a vessel to be registered at the Registry of Shipping and Seamen.

National Minimum Wage

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which government organisation is responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage legislation on UK registered ships; what efforts are being made to ensure compliance; and how many cases were dealt with by the relevant body in each year since the legislation took effect.

David Jamieson: Enforcement of the national minimum wage is carried out by the Inland Revenue's National Minimum Wage Compliance Teams, on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.
	Compliance Officers investigate every complaint received about employers failing to pay their workers the minimum wage. This includes complaints from individual workers and from third parties. They ensure that the appropriate minimum wage is being paid and that the workers receive any arrears of wages due to them. The officers also investigate other employers identified as being most at risk of non-compliance.
	There are no figures of the number of inspections carried out on employers of UK registered ships.
	If workers have reasonable grounds to believe that they are entitled to the national minimum wage but are not receiving it, they can contact the National Minimum Wage Helpline (0845 6000 678) for further advice and assistance.

Office of the Rail Regulator

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) technical and financial contracts, (b) technical consultants used on a call-off basis and (c) financial consultants used on a call-off basis by the Office of the Rail Regulator, since April 2002, the nature of the assignment for each consultant, and the value of work done by each consultant.

David Jamieson: The following table shows contracts that have been awarded by the Office of the Rail Regulator since April 2002.
	
		
			 Consultant Purpose 
		
		
			 Accenture Provision of advice on the acquisition of Railtrack plc by Network Rail 
			 Booz Allen Hamilton West Coast Route Modernisation: assessment of efficient costs 
			 Accenture Interim review economic advice on expenditure by Network Rail 
			 Booz Allen Hamilton Economic advice on small enhancement schemes 
			 Mason Communications Railtrack renewals and efficiency review (periodic review)—assessment of Railtrack's mobile telecoms installation program (GSM-R) 
			 CDL Assessment of, and advice on, Network Rail's compliance with licence condition 24 asset register 
			 OXERA Interim review regulatory economic advice 
			 MVA Consortium Railtrack performance review for control period 2 
			 NERA Economic advice on competition questions 
			 Needlemans Incremental output statement (stations enhancement)—advice 
			 RSM Robson Rhodes General corporate finance advice on Railtrack/Network Rail and industry 
			 Mason Communications Railtrack renewals and efficiency review (periodic review)—assessment of Railtrack's fixed line telecoms installation program (FTN) 
			 IMR Solutions Regulatory accounting and financial modelling advice 
			 CDL Assessment of, and advice on, Network Rail's compliance with licence condition 24 asset register 
			 NERA Review of incentive framework for Network Rail 
			 Mason Communications Railtrack renewals and efficiency review (periodic review)—Data Room for GSM-R (Railtrack Telecoms) 
			 Sciotech Advice on freight vehicle usage costs 
			 Horton 4 Consulting General economic advice 
			 Shell IT International Asset register advice 
			 AEA Technology Capacity Map Software—to assist in determining the allocation of capacity under the track access approval regime 
			 NERA Specific competition economics advice 
			 D. Burford Accountancy services 
			 Countrywide Porter Novelli Risk Assessment Workshop 
			 Europe Economics Economic advice on liability regime for new track access contracts 
			 DTZ Pieda Consulting Advice on network licence condition 26: land disposals 
			 Europe Economics Regulatory economic advice relating to rail freight 
			 NERA Review of industry licence fees 
		
	
	The value of individual contracts is confidential for commercial reasons, but the total expenditure to date is £1,379,281.

Railways (External Consultants)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) technical and financial contracts, (b) technical consultants used on a call-off basis and (c) financial consultants used on a call-off basis, by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate since April 2002, the nature of the assignment for each consultant, and the value of work done by each consultant.

David Jamieson: The Health and Safety Executive does not let financial contracts and therefore has no information in respect of financial contracts or financial consultants.
	The technical contracts commissioned on behalf of HMRI since April 2002 are as follows:
	
		
			 Contractor Title 
		
		
			 (a) External and Internal Research 
			 ABB Eutech Ltd. Control and Protective systems: Assessment methodology  
			 University College, London FN curves and criterion lines for railways and other transport modes 
			 AEA Rail Classification of railway schemes 
			 Competence Assurance Solutions Ltd. Classification of railway schemes 
			 National Economic Research Associates Review of the economic aspects of the ERTMS project team report  
			 Mr. P Grant Safe movement of trains—independent evaluation of initial drafting 
			   
			 (b) External support—Call-off arrangements 
			 WS Atkins Technical aspects of SPAD investigations  
			 Serco Assurance West Ealing Derailment—forensic examination of track 
		
	
	The values of individual contracts are commercially confidential, but the total cost of these contracts to date is £337,904.

Railways (External Consultants)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) technical and financial contracts, (b) technical consultants used on a call-off basis and (c) financial consultants used on a call-off basis by (i) the Rail Delivery Directorate, (ii) the Railways Restructuring Directorate and (iii) other directorates within his Department carrying out work relating to the railways, since April 2002, what the nature of the assignment was for each consultant, and what the value of work done by each consultant was.

David Jamieson: Since April 2002 the Department has been using the following consultants to give the advice listed:
	
		
			 Consultant Advice 
		
		
			 On a call-off basis  
			 Saxton Bampfylde Hever plc Advice on senior recruitment 
			 Eversheds Advice on rail pension issues 
			 Leeds Institute for Transport Studies Advice on the prevention of railway accidents 
			 Other contracts  
			 Arthur Andersen Accountancy advice 
			 Citigroup (Schroder Salomon Smith Barney) Financial advice 
			 CMS Cameron McKenna Legal advice on rail matters 
			 Faber Maunsell Development of a national rail model 
			 Finsbury Limited Specialised communications work 
			 KPMG Accountancy and taxation advice 
			 Mercers Management Consulting Management consultancy advice 
			 Mott Parsons Gibb Project representatives for the channel tunnel rail link 
			 Partnerships UK Advice on matters relating to rail policy 
			 PKF Accountancy advice 
			 Saunders and Dolleymore Trade mark services 
			 Transport and Travel Research Development of a framework for research into attitudes, perceptions and expectations of rail travel 
			 United Kingdom Accreditation Service Development of an assessment regime. 
		
	
	The value of work done by individual consultants and advisers is commercially confidential but, for all of them together, expenditure so far this financial year amounts to £21.7 million.

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many telephone helplines are sponsored by his Department; and which of these helplines are charged at (a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport has 134 helplines of which 66 are charged at national rate, three at premium rate and five at local rate. The details are in the following table:
	
		
			  Telephone numbers Rates 
		
		
			 DfT central   
			 South East Regional Airports Study (SERAS) 0845 100 5554 Local 
			
			 DfT executive agencies  
			 Driving Standards Agency  
			 Booking Enquiries 0870 010 1372 National 
			 Theory Test, Enquiries and Complaints 0870 241 0204 National 
			
			 Vehicle Inspectorate  
			 National Enquiry Line 0870 606 0440 National 
			 MOT Enquiry Line 0845 600 5977 Local 
			 Police Enquiry Line 0845 600 5978 Local 
			
			 Maritime and Coastguard 0870 600 6505 National 
			 Highways Agency 0845 750 4030 Local 
			
			 DVLA—local offices  
			 Wimbledon 0870 600 6767 National 
			 Stanmore 0870 241 1269 National 
			 Chelmsford 0870 241 2147 National 
			 Manchester 0870 241 2146 National 
			 Reading 0870 241 5161 National 
			 Leeds 0870 240 3514 National 
			 Nottingham 0870 241 1876 National 
			 Luton 0870 240 3515 National 
			 Sidcup 0870 240 3516 National 
			 Maidstone 0870 240 3517 National 
			 Birmingham 0870 240 3518 National 
			 Portsmouth 0870 240 4730 National 
			 Bournemouth 0870 240 4731 National 
			 Brighton 0870 240 4732 National 
			 Exeter 0870 240 4734 National 
			 Truro 0870 240 6278 National 
			 Aberdeen 0870 240 6279 National 
			 Northampton 0870 240 8228 National 
			 Edinburgh 0870 240 6281 National 
			 Dundee 0870 240 6280 National 
			 Inverness 0870 240 6283 National 
			 Peterborough 0870 240 8229 National 
			 Oxford 0870 240 8230 National 
			 Ipswich 0870 240 8231 National 
			 Norwich 0870 240 8232 National 
			 Carlisle 0870 240 0691 National 
			 Sheffield 0870 240 1315 National 
			 Preston 0870 240 0692 National 
			 Stockton 0870 240 0695 National 
			 Newcastle 0870 240 0669 National 
			 Lincoln 0870 240 0671 National 
			 Beverley 0870 240 1316 National 
			 Bristol 0870 240 1317 National 
			 Chester 0870 240 1318 National 
			 Shrewsbury 0870 240 1223 National 
			 Cardiff 0870 240 1224 National 
			 Bangor 0870 240 1225 National 
			 Swansea 0870 240 1320 National 
			 Worcester 0870 240 1319 National 
			
			 DVLA—general  
			 Drivers 0870 240 0009 National 
			 Vehicles 0870 240 0010 National 
			 Car Hire 0906 139 3837 Premium 
			 Telephone Relicensing 0870 240 2288 National 
			 Date of Liability 0906 165 7585 Premium 
			 Dealerline 0906 185 8585 Premium 
			 DSA 0870 241 2415 National 
			 Post Office Line 0870 600 0301 National 
			 Photo On Line 0870 600 6661 National 
			 Motorcycle Vehicle Excise Duty 0870 241 2145 National 
			 Small Islands 0870 241 5674 National 
			 Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) 0870 241 1878 National 
			 Heavy Goods Vehicle Rebate Line 0870 607 6688 National 
			 Graduated Vehicle Excise Duty Rebate 0870 241 2449 National 
			 Mandatory V5 0870 240 6415 National 
			 Local Office address system 0870 243 0444 National 
			 Web Vault 0870 241 5803 National 
			 Registration Number Plate Supplied form filler 0870 240 6424 National 
			 V5 form filler 0870 240 6426 National 
			 Registration Number Plate Supplied form filler documentation 0870 240 6425 National 
			 Driver Medical (DM) Ordinary Drivers Licence 0870 600 0301 National 
			 DM Diabetes line 0870 241 5450 National 
			 DM Vocational Drivers 0870 241 1879 National 
			 DM General Practitioner 0870 241 1875 National 
			 Motor Cycle Consultation 0870 600 1016 National 
			 Test Reminders 0870 240 3052 National 
			   
			 London Regional Transport  
			 Customer Service Centre (Underground) 0845 330 9880 Local

Underground Safety

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when London Underground were first informed of the problem of motors breaking free on high speed underground trains; what subsequent reports they received; and what action was taken.

David Jamieson: holding answer 3 February 2003
	I understand from London Underground that they first became aware of problems on the Central line train fleet on 3 September 2001 during a routine maintenance check at Hainault depot, when a train was found to have a dislodged motor. London Underground carried out an immediate ultrasonic examination of the relevant area on other motors, which revealed no further instance of failure.
	An independent investigation commissioned by London Underground concluded that the problem was loose bolts. A check of motor bolts on all Central and Waterloo & City line trains was immediately carried out and revealed one instance of a motor with fractured bolts, where the motor was held in place by its safety bracket.The whole fleet was initially fully checked twice, after which a regime of checking all bolts at least once every 3 months was instigated.
	On 20 September 2002, a train which was not in service but was entering Loughton sidings was derailed when a motor dropped off. An investigation revealed that the motor bolts had fractured and the safety bracket had failed to retain the detached motor as it was designed to do.
	Because of this, the most stringent checking regime possible was introduced with each train being checked every 5 days as a rolling programme across the fleet.
	Further independent investigation was also undertaken as a result of the Loughton incident. This highlighted a new concern over the safety bracket bolts and these were specifically included within the 5-daily check regime.
	The HSE are also conducting a full investigation.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the specialised funds proposed under the reorganisation of CDC Capital Partners which will manage the investment activities of CDC Capital Partners targeting private business in (a) South Asia and (b) Africa in the (i) power and (ii) SME sector.

Clare Short: CDC has recently launched three funds for the SME sector in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. Further funds will be launched by CDC this year.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the cost of cancellation of the total global debts of the heavily indebted poor countries.

Clare Short: This information is not yet available. Until the World bank has conducted Debt Sustainability Analyses for all the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), particularly those affected by conflict, it is not possible to calculate the total cost of debt cancellation for these countries under the HIPC Initiative.

Vehicle Fleets

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the annual rate is at which her Department renews its vehicle fleet, by (a) volume and percentage for each category of vehicle, (b) type of power unit and (c) type of fuel; and what progress has been made on the replacement of vehicles on a lower emissions basis in each of the last three years.

Clare Short: DFID does not operate a vehicle fleet. The only official cars used are the three cars hired through the Government Car Service for Ministers and
	one Senior Official. All three are LPG-fuelled.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she next intends to meet representatives of the Zimbabwean opposition.

Clare Short: I have no plans to meet with the Zimbabwe opposition at the present time. DFID and FCO officials in Harare maintain dialogue with Government representatives where possible, political parties including the MDC, non-governmental organisations, and other civil society representatives.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND THE REGIONS

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to ensure that animal welfare is a prime consideration in discussing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Elliot Morley: The Government will argue for the inclusion of measures which make a genuine contribution to improving animal welfare in Council discussion of the European Commission's legislative proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, published on 22 January. We will study closely the opportunities and practical implications of the specific measures proposed by the Commission.
	Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy will help to improve the EU's chances of securing a successful outcome to the WTO negotiations, including on its proposals for recognition of animal welfare measures.

Bovine TB

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives from (a) New Zealand, (b) Ireland and (c) the Netherlands on the search for a cattle vaccine against bovine TB.

Elliot Morley: During 2002, the Independent Scientific Group (ISG) Vaccine Scoping Study Sub-Committee (VSSSC) met six times and will report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the spring on the feasibility for pursuing a TB vaccination strategy for cattle or wildlife. As well as ISG members and other leading academics, Defra and DARDNI officials sit on the VSSSC.
	The VSSSC has heard presentations from and questioned Dr. Eamonn Gormley from Ireland and Dr. Leigh Corner from New Zealand on the bovine TB vaccination research being carried out in their own Countries. Members of the ISG and Defra officials have visited Ireland to discuss the Irish work programme and see their experimental facilities. Defra's Veterinary Laboratories Agency has active research links with both the Irish and New Zealand workers researching bovine TB. Officials are in regular contact with the Instituut voor Dierhouderij en Diergezondheid in Lelystad, the Netherlands. This is the official laboratory of the Netherlands for the testing of tuberculin's.

Climate Change Agreement

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the performance of the pig and poultry sectors in complying with the terms of the climate change agreement.

Margaret Beckett: There are climate change agreements with sectors for intensive pig rearing, intensive rearing of poultry for meat production and intensive rearing of poultry for egg production. Sectors with climate change agreements have until noon on Monday 17 February to submit information. No information has yet been supplied to me in respect of these sectors.

Cloned Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on the import of animal eggs, embryos or semen from cloned animals for breeding purposes.

Elliot Morley: With regard to animal health controls on the importation of live animals and their genetic material it is Government policy that, where trade has not been harmonised under EU rules such imports remain prohibited except under the authority of an import licence issued in accordance with bilateral agreements. All imports of such commodities have to be accompanied by health certification in accordance with the legislation in place. These rules would also apply in the case of cloned animals and their eggs, embryos or semen.

Cloned Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations have been made to her Department by scientists involved in the cloning of animals; whether the representations have discussed products from cloned animals reaching the food chain; and what assessment the Government has made of the use of cloning technologies in the production of food.

Elliot Morley: No recent representations have been made to Defra by scientists requesting financial support for research to advance animal cloning technologies or for application of the technology to the livestock products food chain.
	The Government has commissioned several advisory reports on livestock cloning, including "The implications of cloning for the welfare of farmed livestock" from Farm Animal Welfare Council, 2002. The Government accepts the findings of this report that the cloning of livestock is ethically acceptable, providing it is carried out within the framework of the general principles laid down in the Banner Committee's report of 1995, which considered the 'Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies in the Breeding of Farm Animals'. This reiterates the Government's view that all animals (whether domestic, farmed or used for scientific purposes) should be kept to the highest possible welfare standards.

Cloned Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research has been conducted into the use of cloned animals for the production of food in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Research at Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, that led to the development of animal cloning by nuclear transfer, and used to produce Dolly the sheep, was supported by MAFF between 1990 and 1999. No further research has been supported by MAFF or Defra to apply the technology to livestock product production.

Cloned Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of cloning technology for the production of domestic farm animals.

Elliot Morley: Animal cloning technologies are inefficient, resulting in greatly increased production cost for livestock breeders. This has inhibited the uptake of livestock cloning in the UK. The Government ensure that cloning procedures are carried out within the framework of the general principles laid down in the Banner Committee's report of 1995, which considered the 'Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies in the Breeding of Farm Animals'. This reiterates the Government's view that all animals (whether domestic, farmed or used for scientific purposes) should be kept to the highest possible welfare standards.

Commercial Whaling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government is taking to ensure that no commercial whale hunting will resume within EU waters; if the Government will take steps to ensure that EU waters are made a whale sanctuary; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: All cetaceans are fully protected in EU waters under the EU Habitats Directive. While we do not oppose the creation of an EU whale sanctury, we believe that the current measures afford the necessary safeguards which a whale sanctuary would provide.

COTES Regulations

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to complete her review of the 1997 COTES regulations.

Elliot Morley: We published a consultation paper on the review of the COTES regulations on 15 January, in which we proposed a number of measures to combat wildlife crime. The closing date for responses is 4 April. How soon we can complete our review will depend on what emerges from the consultation, and to what extent further discussions, including with the devolved Administrations, are needed, but we are very keen to take our proposals forward as quickly as possible at every stage.

Deer Culling

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost has been in each of the last five years of deer culling programmes undertaken by the Forestry Commission in (a) Scotland and (b) elsewhere in the UK.

Elliot Morley: The Forestry Commission's deer management costs throughout Great Britain for the last three years, together with the forecast for the current financial year, are given in the following table. The figures include costs such as provision of deer fencing as well as culling.
	It has not been possible to identify the costs for the years 1997–98 and 1998–99, as these were included with protection and maintenance costs for other activities.
	
		£ million
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03(2) 
		
		
			 Scotland 4.6 5.2 5.2 5.8 
			 England 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.9 
			 Wales 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
		
	
	(2) Forecast

Fisheries

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions have been held between British officials and UK Ministers regarding compensation from the European Commission for those affected by the decisions at the December Fisheries Council;
	(2)  what advice British officials have given UK Ministers regarding compensation from the European Commission for those affected by recent cuts in fishing quotas and the implications of this on the annual UK rebate from the European Union.

Elliot Morley: The question of additional funding from the EC Budget to compensate those affected by the recovery measures for cod did not arise during the negotiations at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in December.
	The European Parliament approved the 2003 EC Budget in December 2002. The relevant Category of expenditure has already been budgeted up to the agreed spending ceiling.
	The European Commission did propose as part of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy that 32 million Euro of new money from the EC Budget should be made available during 2003 for an emergency vessel scrapping fund. The UK supported the proposal for this fund, provided that the Community financing could be found within the limits of the Berlin Financial Perspective. The Commission has yet to come forward with a fund that meets this condition.
	The Commission also requested that member states consider re-prioritising their existing allocations of EC Structural Funds to provide socio-economic measures,
	such as compensation, under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). The Commission noted that funds would be freed in some member states if the Council curtailed aid paid for building new vessels. Unlike some member states, the UK does not use EC aid towards building new vessels, so this was not an avenue which freed financing for the UK.
	I considered this position, as did my colleagues in the Scottish Executive and the department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland. Our combined conclusions resulted in the substantial packages of aid announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 28 January, and the related packages introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Together, they provide aid worth over £60 million to the UK fishing industry.
	The UK rebate was not an issue in these discussions.

Fisheries

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to give British fishermen socio-economic aid under the amendments to article 12 of European Union Document No. 2369/2002 of 20 December 2002, Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No. 2792/1999.

Elliot Morley: Since the December Fisheries Council, Fisheries Departments have announced financial aid to the UK fishing industry worth over £60 million
	Support for re-training can be provided through the existing regional mechanisms.

Flooding

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the investigation aimed at providing an accreditation system for local temporary defences and aiding their more effective use referred to in Cm 5512 of May 2002.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 3 February 2003
	The accreditation system referred to relates to a 'publicly available specification' (PAS) standard being developed for temporary flood defences, funded by Department of Trade and Industry, Defra and the Environment Agency among others. I understand that details of the scheme are to be launched shortly.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 20 January 2003, Official Report, column 102W, if she will provide a breakdown of expenditure of the Environment Agency in England on managing flood risk from main rivers and the sea in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03, by (i) local authority area and (ii) Environment Agency regional area.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 3 February 2003
	The breakdown by Region of Environment Agency expenditure in England for managing flood risk from main rivers and the sea is:
	
		£000
		
			  Actual Forecast 
			 EA Region 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Anglian 58,540 62,205 68,162 
			 Midlands 31,611 40,244 39,427 
			 North East 27,679 39,016 47,571 
			 North West 24,461 31,390 32,243 
			 Southern 27,078 35,383 43,829 
			 South West 20,137 30,649 39,296 
			 Thames 69,956 68,884 78,600 
			 Total England 259,462 307,771 349,128 
		
	
	I regret that a breakdown of this expenditure by local authority area could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much is owed to Cumbria county council in respect of reimbursement payments relating to foot and mouth.

Elliot Morley: The Department does not owe Cumbria county council any money in respect of reimbursement payments relating to foot and mouth. However, the Department received an inquiry from the council on 13 December 2002 about possible reimbursement of allowances for some of its Trading Standards staff who worked for the Department during the foot and mouth outbreak.
	The council claimed no specific amount, as they wanted clarification as to whether they were eligible for reimbursement, before submitting a claim. The Department wrote to the council on 2 January 2003 saying it was looking into the details provided in their letter and would give a full reply as soon as possible.
	Although the Department does not owe the council any money directly the council does own trading companies who provided services to the Department during the foot and mouth outbreak. Defra is in serious commercial dispute with these companies and has instructed external lawyers.

Farm Incomes

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total income was from farming in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 including FMD compensation and other FMD payments; and what she expects it to be in 2003.

Elliot Morley: The latest estimates of farm income released on 30 January show Total Income from Farming (Tiff) in real terms (at 2002 prices) at £1.80 billion in 2000, £2.07 billion in 2001 and £2.36 billion in 2002.
	Neither the losses due to foot and mouth nor the compensation are recorded in the aggregate agricultural income account. This is a consequence of the decision by the Office for National Statistics to treat destroyed livestock as "exceptional losses", as defined in the European System of Accounts 1995. Exceptional losses are shown in the other changes in the volume of assets account and compensation is treated as capital transfers and not part of income. FMD compensation payments totalled £1.1 billion.
	Beyond 2002 commodity prices and exchange rates, and hence incomes, are highly uncertain. Estimated projections are given in Section f of the publication "Farming and Food's Contribution to Sustainable Development" which accompanied the publication of "The Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food" in December. This is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/newstrategy/econ/section1.pdf

Farm Incomes

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest estimate is of the cost of compensation to farmers for the slaughter of cattle as a result of foot and mouth disease in the last three years.

Elliot Morley: The latest estimate of the cost of compensation to farmers for the slaughter of cattle as a result of foot and mouth disease is £674,694,849.

Forestry Commission (Scotland)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to review the operations of the Forestry Commission in Scotland.

Elliot Morley: The operations of the Forestry Commission in Scotland are, of course, the responsibility of the Scottish Executive. However, in August last year, the forestry Ministers in England, Scotland and Wales each announced the outcome of the Forestry Devolution Review of administrative arrangements for the delivery of sustainable forestry policies in the three countries. The review concluded that those arrangements need to be updated, without legislation, to achieve greater integration of forestry with other rural policy work while retaining a collaborative approach to common issues.
	Work is now taking place on implementing the review's recommendations, and further announcements will be made in due course of the specific changes to be
	made in each country.

Internal Drainage Boards

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when a decision will be made regarding the future of the internal drainage boards and their role;
	(2)  when a decision will be made regarding the flood and coastal defence review.

Elliot Morley: The future role of internal drainage boards is part of the flood and coastal defence funding review. I am currently considering the outcome of the review with ministerial colleagues and will make an announcement as soon as
	possible.

Livestock Movements

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received concerning the workability of the six day standstill rule, given the ban on livestock staying overnight in auction marts.

Elliot Morley: We propose to reduce the whole farm standstill to six days from 4 March. This has been welcomed by the main livestock industry organisations and we expect them to co-operate in ensuring that the new rules are effectively implemented.
	We intend to consult soon on a number of further proposals-including a ban on livestock staying overnight on market premises-for possible introduction later this year, aimed at improving biosecurity and disease detection.

Mawdesley to Warrington Pipeline(Farmers' Compensation)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Transco on compensation payments for farmers affected by the Mawdesley to Warrington gas pipeline; and what estimate she has made of (a) the loss of income to farmers and (b) the number of compensation claims that are still outstanding as a result of the construction of the Mawdesley to Warrington gas pipeline.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 29 January 2003
	None. These are matters for my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Meat Import (Quality Standards)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the measures for the prevention of importation of substandard meat and bushmeat into the UK introduced on 1 January.

Elliot Morley: On 1 January, following sustained pressure from the UK Government, new rules were introduced prohibiting all personal imports into the European Union of meat, meat products, milk and milk products from the majority of non-EU countries. This includes bushmeat, which is the meat of any wild animal hunted for food. The rules for other animal products and plants have not changed. The relevant legislation has been implemented in the UK and new publicity materials are available to notify travellers of the changes in the rules. It is still too early to make a proper assessment of the impact of these changes.

Sheep Tagging

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the practicality of double tagging sheep under the EU Directive on sheep identification with particular reference to (a) the ease with which such tags are lost and (b) the difficulties in reading the tags.

Elliot Morley: The European Commission published proposals on identification and registration of sheep and goats on 13 December 2002. Discussion on these proposals are still at a very early stage and we are consulting stakeholders including those from the sheep industry on their implications. The proposed rules on tagging are one of the main concerns being raised and we shall be taking all the comments made into account as we attend EU discussions.

Underground Petrol Tanks

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial assistance is available for petrol retailers seeking to upgrade underground petrol tanks.

Elliot Morley: There is no financial aid available in England and Wales for this type of capital expenditure. However, help is available in the form of guidance and advice, and the Environment Agency is working with the petroleum retailers industry to ensure that this reaches those who need it. Given that underground petrol tanks may, in the course of maintenance, need replacing, the Downstream Oil Industry Forum, which is made up of Government and industry representatives, is currently looking into the cost and safety of re-lining as an alternative option for such tanks. The Forum is due to report later this year.

Underground Petrol Tanks

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reported leakages of fuel from underground storage tanks there were in each year since 1999.

Elliot Morley: Information from the Environment Agency's database for these years will take a little time to compile but will be made available to the Library of the House as soon as possible. I will write to let the hon. Member know when that is.

Waste

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to review the Government's Best Value indicators for waste management.

Margaret Beckett: All best value indicators are reviewed annually and the indicators for 2003–04 have been published recently.
	Government will need to take a number of factors into account when reviewing waste indicators for 2004–05.
	A key aim will be to maintain consistency over time as far as possible, to enable robust performance data to be accumulated. However, one of the recommendations in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit's recent report "Waste Not Want Not" was that alternative indicators for waste should be considered.
	Government will respond to this and other recommendations in due course. If changes are to be made then Government would expect to go out to consultation with local government and others during August.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Al-Qaeda Cells

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with international intelligence organisations concerning the number of current al-Qaeda terrorist cells in different countries and how many operatives they have; and what their weapons capabilities are.

Mike O'Brien: We have regular discussions with our international partners about the threat posed by al-Qaeda and related groups.

Ambassadors

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice is given to Her Majesty's ambassadors about (a) inviting and (b) receiving persons who are convicted fugitives from the law in diplomatic properties.

Mike O'Brien: Our Heads of Mission overseas use diplomatic premises for the furtherance of HMG objectives, and are able to exercise appropriate discretion in doing so.

Bangladesh

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has met representatives from (a) the Bangladeshi Government and (b) the Awami League to discuss the subject of political violence in Bangladesh.

Mike O'Brien: I discussed law and order in Bangladesh, including political violence, with a cross-party group of Bangladeshi MPs, and with Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Awami League, last July. Our High Commission in Dhaka regularly raises with the Bangladesh Government the need for all allegations of political violence to be fully investigated and for perpetrators to be brought to justice. We urge all parties to work together in the interests of democracy.

British Council (Budget)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget is for (a) the British Council, (b) British Trade International spending which falls under his Department and (c) publications, displays and events overseas, as defined on page 86 of his June 2002 Annual Report, Cm5413, in 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The FCO grant in aid to the British Council for 2003–04 will be £166.461 million.
	(b) The FCO's 2003–04 budget for British Trade International has not yet been set. In 2001–02, the most recent full Financial Year for which figures are available, British Trade International activities consumed £136.290 million of FCO resources. This figure is further broken down in Schedule 5 of the FCO's 2001–02 Resource Accounts (HC324).
	(c) Public diplomacy budgets for 2003–04 have not yet been set but are expected to be about £5 million.

Diplomatic Premises

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those diplomatic premises which are shared with (a) EU diplomatic delegates and (b) other EU member state delegates.

Bill Rammell: The UK Missions which share facilities with other EU member states or the European Commission are: Almaty (France, Germany), Ashgabat (France, Germany), Astana (France, Germany, European Commission), Dar es Salaam (Germany, Netherlands, European Commission), Freetown (France), Gaborone (France), Minsk (Italy), Nicosia (Italy), Pyongyang (Germany), Quito (Germany), Sofia (European Commission).

FCO Officials (Nairobi)

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason interviews with FCO officials have been suspended in Nairobi for Somali nationals seeking family reunion with relatives who have been granted settlement in the UK.

Bill Rammell: Due to the current security situation in Nairobi, access to the High Commission may be granted only to those with adequate confirmation of their identity. These provisions apply to all visitors and are not aimed specifically at a particular nationality. Somali nationals continue to be interviewed but are affected by these restrictions. The High Commission keeps the security situation under constant review and the current restrictions will be in place no longer than absolutely necessary.

Guantanamo Base

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Government officials have visited the Guantanamo base in Cuba; and if he will place copies of the reports of their visits in the Library.

Bill Rammell: The officials were from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Security Service. I am withholding the information requested under Exemptions la and 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, I am unable to publish the names of the officials.

Iraq/al-Qaeda (Links)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received by his Department concerning links between (a) Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, (b) Osama bin Laden and (c) the al-Qaeda organisation.

Mike O'Brien: We have received inquires from the press and public and parliamentary questions but not representations as such. We have received information from various sources.

Iraq/al-Qaeda (Links)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to investigate links between (a) Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, (b) Osama bin Laden and (c) the al-Qaeda organisation.

Mike O'Brien: We will continue to evaluate such information as we may receive on any links between the Iraqi regime, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by the Government to ensure that goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Gaza and Golan, are not imported to the EU under the preference terms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave on 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 181W.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Israel has breached its obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention; and what actions the UK is taking, as a high contracting party to that Convention, to secure full compliance by Israel.

Mike O'Brien: Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories are contrary to Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. We have repeatedly called on Israel to freeze all settlement activity.
	Collective punishment is also contrary to the Fourth Geneva Convention. In certain circumstances this can include the demolition of homes of suicide bombers; the closure and curfew regime, denial of access for humanitarian and medical agencies to those in need. We have raised our concerns at the highest levels of the Israeli Government and have requested they take immediate steps to address concern about the situation in the Occupied Territories.
	In accordance with the Declaration adopted at the Conference of High Contracting Parties in Geneva on 5 December 2001 the UK continues to meet its responsibility to encourage all parties to the conflict to ensure respect for the Geneva Conventions in all circumstances.

Jordan

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the cases of Rawan and Fadi Husam Rasmi Jibreen and Siham Quandah; what representations he has made to the authorities in Jordan; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I have received representations from UK Non-Governmental Organisations and Members of both Houses of Parliament. Staff in the British Embassy in Amman have raised this case with the relevant Jordanian authorities and continue to follow this case closely.

Middle East

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to reinvigorate the Middle East Peace Process.

Mike O'Brien: In January my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary chaired the 'London meeting' on Palestinian reform a key element of any final settlement.
	Britain remains committed to the Quartet-led efforts to reach a two-state solution, and to using its influence nationally and through the EU to support a negotiated agreement to bring to an end the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

Mr. Abdullah Ocalan

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Turkish Government on (a) the state of health of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan and (b) the prison conditions under which Mr. Ocalan is being held; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not raised the health of Mr. Ocalan or his prison conditions with the Turkish Government.
	However, the British embassy in Ankara has discussed these issues with Mr. Ocalan's lawyers, most recently on 16 December.
	The UK is working closely with the Turkish Government in support of its efforts to improve human rights. A bilateral human rights dialogue was held on 26 November 2002 during which the issue of prison reform was raised. The British Government have funded a number of bilateral projects to assist Turkey in the reform and modernisation of its prison system, in order to promote respect for the human rights of all prisoners.

Mugabe Regime

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of crimes under international law which may have been committed by members of the Mugabe regime; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We receive evidence of the Mugabe regime's widespread abuse of human rights from a number of sources inside Zimbabwe, and we monitor the situation closely. We have consistently condemned the regime for its appalling human rights record and its use of torture on political opponents. We will continue to work with international partners in focusing attention on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

Mullah Omar

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the current whereabouts of the former Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Mike O'Brien: We continue to discuss the whereabouts of Mullah Omar with our international partners. We will continue to use all means at our disposal to bring him to justice.

Osama bin Laden

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the current whereabouts of Osama bin Laden.

Mike O'Brien: We have received a number of reports as to the possible whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. It has been the practice of successive governments not to comment on intelligence matters. The Security and Intelligence Agencies are outside the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Paragraph 6, Part I).

Osama bin Laden

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with (a) Governments and (b) intelligence organisations within the last six months regarding Osama bin Laden.

Mike O'Brien: We continue to have a wide range of discussions about Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders, with our international partners.

Osama bin Laden

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by the British Government and its allies to monitor the (a) whereabouts and (b) activities of Osama bin Laden.

Mike O'Brien: We and our allies in the coalition against international terrorism will continue to use all means at our disposal to bring Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders to justice.

Osama bin Laden

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the last confirmed sighting of Osama bin Laden was; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: There have been numerous reported sightings of Osama bin Laden since 9/11. We and our coalition partners will continue to hunt for bin Laden and the other al-Qaeda leaders to bring them to justice.

Osama bin Laden

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources are being channelled towards the hunt for Osama bin Laden; and what the costs are to date.

Mike O'Brien: It is not possible to identify the specific costs of hunting down Osama bin Laden. This is a key objective in the wider campaign against international terrorism, which involves the whole range of military, diplomatic and intelligence effort and undertaken in co-operation with international partners.

Osama bin Laden/al-Qaeda

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the regimes which his Department suspect of (a) having given and (b) continuing to give aid to Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda organisation.

Mike O'Brien: The global network of al-Qaeda and its associated groups have located themselves in countries where governments are unable to exercise full control over their territories or where the authorities have offered them their protection and/or collusion.

Saudi Arabia (British Detainees)

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Foreign Office has done to ensure that the alibis presented by the British detainees charged with bombings in Saudi Arabia have been properly investigated by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

Mike O'Brien: The details of individual consular cases are confidential. The British men in Saudi Arabia have legal representation and discuss their cases with their lawyers. We are in close contact with the men's lawyers and we keep the families informed of developments in the case. It has been the wish of the men that we do not discuss the cases in detail in public.

Sudan

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers from his Department have visited Sudan since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The then Minister of State the late Derek Fatchett visited Sudan in July 1998, when he helped to broker a ceasefire in Bahr el Ghazal.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent fighting that has broken out in Western Upper Nile in the Sudan.

Bill Rammell: There have been recent reports of fighting around Leer, Tam, Lara and Nhialdou in Western Upper Nile (Unity State). The US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT) has investigated alleged attacks against civilians in Western Upper Nile and alleged violations of the Memorandum of Understanding on cessation of hostilities in Western Upper Nile. Their report has been presented to the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A for comment before dissemination.
	We expect the parties to reach agreement soon on an improved verification and monitoring mechanism to underpin the Memorandum of Understanding on cessation of hostilities. This should help to reduce tension until a full ceasefire agreement can be worked out.

Venezuela

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with other countries regarding the situation in Venezuela;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with countries working with Venezuela to end the national strike there; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Venezuelan Government and other interested parties since the Venezuelan President was temporarily deposed from power last year; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions he is having with the Venezuelan Government and opposition forces regarding the situation in Venezuela; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  when Government Ministers last met representatives of the Venezuelan Government; what discussions took place; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have maintained regular contact with the government and opposition. I discussed our concerns with the Vice President of the National Assembly on 18 November.
	In all those contacts, and in discussions with EU partners and members of the recently constructed Group of Friends supporting the OAS (Organisation of American States) facilitation efforts, we have stressed the importance of respect for the constitution and democratic principles.

Zimbabwe

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions were held with his EU counterparts at the EU General Affairs Council meeting of 27 to 28 January concerning EU sanctions against Mr. Robert Mugabe and his Government; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which EU member states (a) objected and (b) agreed to the extension of sanctions against Zimbabwe at the EU General Affairs Council of 27 to 28 January; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: EU Foreign Ministers discussed EU sanctions against the Mugabe regime at a General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 27–28 January. The meeting proved inconclusive, as did a subsequent discussion among Permanent Representatives in Brussels on 30 January. We have made our position clear; that we want to see a roll-over of the EU sanctions on Zimbabwe, including the travel ban, when they expire on 18 February. This will require consensus among all EU member states, and has not yet been achieved.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Cricket (Zimbabwe)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with members of the Commonwealth regarding the future of the forthcoming Cricket World Cup to be played in Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The Cricket World Cup is a matter for the cricket authorities, not for the Commonwealth. I refer my hon. Friend to the written answers given to the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes (Michael Ancram) on 15 January 2003, Official Report, columns 640W and 631W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

Cricket (Zimbabwe)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the ECB since the announcement by England players that they do not want to play World Cup matches in Zimbabwe.

Tessa Jowell: I discussed the planned World Cup match in Zimbabwe with the England and Wales Cricket Board on 9 January. A DCMS official attended a meeting held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 23 January along with representatives of the Board and the Professional Cricketers' Association. The views of the England players on participation in the match were discussed at that meeting. Officials in both this Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have remained in close touch with the Board and the Association since then.

Cricket (Zimbabwe)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice was given to the English Cricket Board about the policy of Ministers on the English team playing matches in Zimbabwe at the meeting on 5th July.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 4 February 2003
	A copy of the minute of this meeting has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Cricket (Zimbabwe)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Ministers first informed the English Cricket Board of the Government's opposition to an England cricket team playing matches in Zimbabwe.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 4 February 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) by my rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 353W.

Regional Sports Boards

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has made to Sport England to ensure that the new regional sports boards will include input from the governing bodies of individual sports and from local authorities.

Richard Caborn: The constitutions of the new regional sports boards provide for representatives of both local government and the voluntary sector in sport to be appointed to the boards. Sport England is currently recruiting the board members.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Algeria

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what licences have been granted for export of controlled goods to Algeria in each month since September 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 3 February 2003
	The number of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) issued to end users in Algeria, in each month since September 2001, is set out in the following table. Individual licences might cover a range of items with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the table in the total for all of the relevant ratings.
	
		
			  SIELs OIELs 
		
		
			 September 2001   
			 ML11 1 — 
			 5A002 — 1 
			 5B002 — 1 
			
			 October 2001   
			 ML21 — 1 
			
			 November 2001   
			 ML4 — 1 
			 ML17 1 — 
			 PL5006 — 1 
			
			 December 2001   
			 ML11 — 1 
			 ML14 — 1 
			 ML21 — 1 
			 PL5017 — 1 
			 5A101 1 — 
			 S1 P1 G2 — 1 
			   
			 January 2002   
			 ML9 1 — 
			
			 February 2002   
			 ML11 1 — 
			 5A002 1 — 
			 March 2002   
			 ML22 1 — 
			 PL5031 — 1 
			 5D002 — 1 
			
			 April 2002   
			 5A002 — 1 
			 S1 P1 G2 — 1 
			
			 May 2002   
			 ML2 1 — 
			 ML10 1 — 
			 6A001 — 1 
			
			 June 2002   
			 ML6 2 — 
			 ML11 1 — 
			 ML21 1 — 
			 ML22 1 — 
			 7A103 3 — 
			 7E101 2 — 
			 9A004 1 — 
			 9A117 1 — 
			
			 July 2002   
			 ML21 1 — 
			 5A002 — 1 
			 5D002 — 1 
			
			 August 2002   
			 7A101 — 1 
			 7A103 1 1 
			 7E101 1 — 
			
			 September 2002   
			 ML11 1 — 
			 ML22 1 — 
			 5D002 — 1 
			 6A001 — 1 
			 7A103 1 — 
			
			 November 2002   
			 1E001 — 1 
		
	
	There were no SIELs or OIELs issued to end users in Algeria in October 2002, December 2002 or January 2003.
	All relevant export licence applications for Algeria are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria and other previously announced Government policies. Details of all export licences issued and refused are published by destination in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are available from the Libraries of the House.

Armed Forces Reservists

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the full (a) contractual, (b) statutory and (c) common law employment rights of individuals in their main job are protected during periods of service as an armed forces reservist; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 27 January 2003
	The Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment Act) 1985 provides protection to members of the reserve forces who are called out for permanent service. In general, it places an obligation on an employer to re-instate reservists who apply to them for this following a period of called-out service. The obligation is to reinstate in the occupation in which they were last employed before call out and on terms and conditions not less favourable than those which would have been applicable had they not been called out. Where this is not reasonable and practicable, they must be taken into employment in the most favourable occupation and on the most favourable terms and conditions as are reasonable and practicable in the particular case.
	In addition, section 217 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 provides that, where those individuals resume employment with their previous employer within six months of the end period of service with the armed forces of the Crown, the period of service does not break their continuity of employment as far as the statutory provisions of the 1996 Act are concerned. The Ministry of Defence also has powers to make payment to individuals and their employers to maintain membership of an employer's pension scheme while the individual is called out.
	Together these provide robust and practicable safeguards for the employment rights of individuals who are reservists when they are called out.

Arms Export Licences

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take steps to make available for public inspection a register of applications for UK arms export licences.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government have made clear in the consultation document on the draft Export Control Bill that they propose to register information on all those applying for licences, both for exports and for arms trafficking and brokering activities, thus creating a database available to be used for licensing and enforcement purposes, including as appropriate on an international basis. There are no plans to publish a register of applications.

ASW

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inquiries she has instituted into (a) the collapse of ASW, (b) the actions of its directors and (c) the effect of the collapse upon the pension schemes of the company's employees; and if she will make a statement on the Government's response to the situation.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 31 January 2003
	The information is as follows:
	(a) As regards the exercise of the Secretary of State's power of investigation under the Companies Act 1985, it is not the Department's policy to comment on the affairs of individual companies. I am, of course, pleased that former ASW plants at Cardiff and Sheerness plants have both found new owners and hope that this will lead to a quick resumption of production and re-employment of ASW workers who have lost their jobs.
	(b) An Insolvency Practitioner (IP) appointed as a receiver has statutory power to report to the Secretary of State on the conduct of the directors of a company. In the case of ASW the IP has considered the actions of the directors and has reported to the Secretary of State that he has not found any matters of unfit conduct.
	(c) Ministers have met members of the ASW Action Groups and their constituency MPs, on more than one occasion, to discuss concerns about the Cardiff and Sheerness pension schemes. A number of practical ways forward were identified and the Minister of State for Pensions has re-affirmed his commitment to meet with members of the ASW Action Group. The protection that people receive if their pension schemes are wound up is important, and we need to do more to protect the rights of members in schemes that are winding up. That is why we are consulting on proposals within the Pensions Green Paper.

Broadband

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the Government agencies, offices, departments, task forces and units involved in the promotion and extension of broadband throughout the United Kingdom; what their responsibilities and funding are; and what their current programmes, projects and targets are.

Stephen Timms: The Department of Trade and Industry is working with a number of other public sector bodies to promote the use of and extend access to broadband services in pursuit of the Government target for the UK to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005. These include: the nine English Regional Development Agencies, the Office of Government Commerce and the Office of the e-Envoy. We are also working with the three devolved Administrations, which have their own broadband strategies based on their (devolved) economic development remits.
	The programmes to which DTI is contributing include: The UK Broadband Fund—£30 million distributed through RDAs and devolved Administrations to support them in taking forward innovative schemes to meet local requirements for extending broadband networks to a wider range of customers than those who would appear immediately to be commercially attractive. The UK Broadband Taskforce—this is a joint initiative between DTI and OGC. The DTI contribution places a Regional Broadband Coordinator in each devolved Administration and RDA to support and promote the aggregation of public sector demand for broadband and to ensure that through such aggregation there is an extension of broadband availability, particularly in rural areas and for small and medium enterprises. The budget for the Taskforce is about £3 million.
	The OGC contribution to the UK Broadband Taskforce is to make public sector procurement of broadband more effective by:
	Publishing non-chargeable advice and guidance
	Offering chargeable hands-on support to assist public sector purchasing authorities with specific broadband projects
	Framework Agreements for Broadband Services—OGCbuying.solutions (the trading arm of OGC) is in the process of letting Frameworks which will provide customers with a 'one-stop-shop' for the procurement of broadband managed services. These agreements will be awarded in early spring 2003, and enable any UK public sector contracting organisation to obtain best value when buying broadband services without requiring a full and separate procurement for each purchase.
	OGCbuying.solutions' costs in letting and managing the frameworks will be defrayed in a small percentage management charge levied on suppliers who conduct business through the frameworks.
	UK online for business—This DTI programme supports business in the take up and effective use of ICT to improve productivity and competitiveness. As such it supports the broadband agenda through raising awareness of the business benefits to be gained through the use of broadband and other enabling technologies, backed by the provision of independent and impartial advice and information, delivered through publications, the UK online for business website and UK online for business advisers. Estimated spend this financial year is £15 million of which £1.5 million is specific to promotion of broadband.
	In addition to these programmes many local and regional bodies have broadband-related campaigns. Other Government Departments have their own programmes to extend broadband services to public buildings. For example, under the Department for Education and Skills the importance of broadband has been reflected by right hon. Friend the Prime Minister who announced in November 2002 that all schools should be connected to broadband by 2006.
	By the end December 2002, 26 per cent. of schools in England were connected to broadband at 2 mbps or faster.

Defence Exports

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what form end-use monitoring agreements between the UK and nations importing UK-manufactured defence exports take; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 3 February 2003
	I have been asked to reply.
	Restrictions can be placed on export licences prior to issue, which limit who may use the defence material in question and for what purpose. In general however, the Government consider that carrying out effective risk assessment on end-users before deciding whether or not to issue export licences is the most effective way to ensure that UK-manufactured defence material is used responsibly.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her latest estimate is of the value of each departmental building within London; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department occupies only leasehold properties in London.

Huntingdon Life Sciences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sum has been identified to cover possible contingent liabilities consequent on the provision of insurance services to Huntingdon Life Sciences.

Patricia Hewitt: Although the Department has recognised the possibility of contingent liabilities consequent on the provision of insurance services to Huntingdon Life Sciences, under Exemption 13—Third Party Commercial Confidences—of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, commercial confidentiality reasons prevent us from disclosing details of the sums involved.

Internet Presentation Grants

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the grants and funding available to public bodies to develop internet presentations for use as public consultation are.

Stephen Timms: DTI makes no specific grants or funding available for this purpose.

Israel

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to change Israel's status as one of her Department's target markets.

Nigel Griffiths: None.

Post Office Closures

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Post Office about the level of opposition needed to reverse a decision to close a post office under the urban reinvention programme.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 31 January 2003
	There have been no such discussions. Proposals for post office closures under the urban network reinvention programme are put out to public consultation in accordance with the code of practice agreed with Postwatch. Final decisions on closure, after consideration of representations received, are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in this process.

Post Office Closures

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office closures have been announced under the Urban Reinvention Programme since 1 January; and how many of those decisions have been reversed following representations by local people.

Stephen Timms: Proposals put out to consultation for, and subsequent decisions on, post office closures under the urban network reinvention programme are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many telephone helplines are sponsored by her Department; and which of these helplines are charged at (a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department and its Agencies operate a number of call centres providing help and assistance to our customers, as well as specific enquiry number helplines which vary in number at any given time to reflect particular initiatives.
	The number of call centres currently in use across the Department and its Agencies is 11 and these are either operated direct by the Department or its Agencies or as a managed service on our behalf.
	Information is not available centrally on the current number of inquiry helplines which are set up to support individual programmes and schemes or to meet short-term needs. However, at the last review in 2001 some 33 departmental and 25 Agency helplines existed.
	Information is also not held centrally on whether these utilise national, premium or local rates although at the last review three of the above utilised 0870 numbers, 11 used 0845 numbers and the remainder used STD numbers, the majority being 020 numbers.

Trade Agreement (Qatar)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the trade agreement talks with the Emirate of Qatar were suspended; and whether the talks have been resumed.

Nigel Griffiths: Our trade relations with Qatar are excellent. There have been no trade agreement talks. Discussions continue on a Double Taxation Agreement and Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.

Vehicle Fleets

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual rate is at which her Department has renewed its vehicle fleet, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each category of (i) vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel over the last three years.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department does not run any cars of its own and all vehicles run on our behalf are done so under contract through bodies such as OGC and the GCDA.

TREASURY

Capital Modernisation Fund

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 604W, on the capital modernisation fund, if he will place in the Library the bids for the latest round of allocations from the fund.

Paul Boateng: The proposals put forward for the capital modernisation fund are the subject of internal discussion between Ministers. The results of ministerial decisions will be published in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses and on the Treasury website, with further details available from individual Departments.

Coal Mines (Methane)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his plans to provide financial incentives for the capture of coal mine methane emissions;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to encourage coal mine methane capturing industry in the UK.

John Healey: The Government announced in Budget 2002 that it would exempt electricity produced by Coal Mine Methane plant from the climate change levy, subject to EU state aid approval. The application for state aid approval is currently with the European Commission.

Gross Domestic Product

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what independent forecasts of GDP growth for (a) this year and (b) next year his Department has collected; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury publishes 'Forecasts for the UK Economy: A comparison of independent forecasts' every month. This document brings together a selection of independent forecasts for GDP growth and other economic indicators. The January edition is available from the House of Commons Library, and the next edition will be published shortly.

Gross Domestic Product

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses when assessing the validity of independent GDP growth forecasts.

Ruth Kelly: Independent forecasts for the UK economy are the responsibility of the organisations that produce them.

Higher Education

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect the proposals in The Future of Higher Education will have on the UK economy with particular reference to (a) the housing market and (b) the banking industry.

Paul Boateng: No such specific assessments have been made. The impact of the White Paper overall on the economy is expected to be positive.

National Savings and Investments Evaluations

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library those elements of the national savings and investments evaluations which are not commercially sensitive; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: All elements of National Savings and Investments' advertising evaluation results are commercially sensitive because they would disadvantage commercial negotiations with the media. Exemption 7 (Effective management and operation of the public service) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

Pensions

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to encourage pension schemes such as the Pension Exchange scheme offered by the financial services company Berry, Birch and Noble.

Ruth Kelly: The Government recently published the pension green paper "Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement".
	That explains that the financial services industry is a vital partner in the UK pensions system. We are keen to see firms of all sort play a vigorous part in promoting pension saving, and improving choice, service and competition across that market.
	Chapter 4 of the Green Paper outlines the crucial role that employers play in the pensions partnership, as providers of, and contributors to pension schemes. The Government promotes workplace pension saving by providing employers with generous tax incentives to provide or contribute to pensions. This recognises the importance of pensions to a firm's ability to recruit and retain staff and to help employees to save for their retirement.

Personal Debt

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with officials from the Bank of England concerning levels of personal debt; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury and Bank of England officials regularly meet to discuss a range of issues.

Revenue Qualifying Regime

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the effects of the Government's proposed abolition of the Inland Revenue's qualifying regime on the amount of money saved by those on low incomes.

Ruth Kelly: Last July, the Sandler "Review of Medium and Long-Term Retail Savings in the UK" recommended the abolition of the qualifying regime for life insurance policies, which mainly afford a tax advantage to higher rate taxpayers. The recommendation would also have consequences for the taxation of small tax-free savings policies sold by friendly societies.
	The Government are consulting on the recommendations of the Sandler review, as announced in the pre-Budget report. The Inland Revenue and the Treasury are discussing with the life insurance industry and the Association of Friendly Societies, the economic impact of the recommendations, including how those people on low incomes might be affected.

Stamp Duty

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the revenue yield cost of abolishing stamp duty on share transactions.

Ruth Kelly: The 2002 pre Budget forecast of revenue from duty on transactions in shares, and hence the direct yield cost of abolition, is £2.2 billion in 2003–04.
	This estimate makes no allowance for the effect on other taxes arising from the wider impact abolition may have on the economy.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many statutory instruments have been issued by his Department in each calendar year since 1979.

John Healey: HM Treasury, HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue have introduced 2,459 Statutory Instruments in the last 24 calendar years. A breakdown by calendar year is provided in the table.
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1979 62 
			 1980 86 
			 1981 64 
			 1982 73 
			 1982 69 
			 1984 98 
			 1985 83 
			 1986 84 
			 1987 97 
			 1988 96 
			 1989 52 
			 1990 43 
			 1991 77 
			 1992 98 
			 1993 125 
			 1994 103 
			 1995 202 
			 1996 139 
			 1997 105 
			 1998 83 
			 1999 128 
			 2000 144 
			 2001 214 
			 2002 134 
			 Total 2,459 
		
	
	The HMSO SI Registrar (Siregistrar@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk) can provide a list of statutory instruments which have been issued by individual Government Departments since 1999. Sls which have been originated by departments but eventually made by the Privy Council are list only under the Privy Council Office.

Stock Market

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the value of the FTSE 100 index.

Ruth Kelly: No country can be insulated from fluctuations in the world economy and the fall in the FTSE 100 share index since its peak at the end of 1999 reflects declines in global equity prices. The best basis for long-term sustainable increases in wealth remains a strong economic policy framework, delivering a platform of low inflation and sound public finances.

Tax Loopholes

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans he has to close tax loopholes; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what action he is taking to reduce tax avoidance by corporate entities; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans he has to combat avoidance of (a) value added tax, (b) income tax, (c) capital gains tax, (d) national insurance contributions, (e) stamp duty and (f) excise duties; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Government are committed to tackling fraud and closing loopholes in the tax system which allow some people to avoid paying their fair share of tax, increasing the burden on other taxpayers and giving those who use avoidance schemes an unfair advantage. The Government have acted every year since 1997 to close unfair loopholes. For example, the 2002 pre-Budget report included measures to counter the avoidance of tax and national insurance through the abuse of Employee Benefit Trusts, legislation to prevent businesses unfairly claiming accelerated capital allowances, changes to the controlled foreign companies rules to prevent avoidance of UK tax on profits from extended warranties, and action to prevent companies avoiding the payment of VAT on the sale of freehold buildings. In addition the pre-Budget report launched a strategy to tackle losses in the VAT system, which is designed to produce £2 billion a year in additional revenues by 2005–06.

CABINET OFFICE

Broadband Access

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of (a) GP surgeries, (b) hospitals, (c) primary care trusts, (d) health authorities and (e) the criminal justice system have broadband access; and what the target date is for full broadband access.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The Statistics for existing connections are as follows:
	(a) GP practices—157 out of 8,519 connections— (0.02 per cent.)
	(b) Hospital Trusts—345 out of 726 connections— (47 per cent.)
	(c) Primary Care Trusts—77 out of 284 connections—(27 per cent.)
	(d) Health Authorities—108 out of 562 connections—(19 per cent.)
	These figures relate to connections only, not directly to the organisations themselves, as it is common for Health Authorities and Trusts to have multiple connections. These can be for connections between different sites or multiple connections to the same sites. Information broken down by specific Trust or Health Authority is not collected centrally.
	(e) 100 per cent. of police forces and 100 per cent. of Crown Prosecution Service offices have broadband access through their connection to the Criminal Justice Extranet and Government Secure Intranet services; and 90 per cent. of the Prosecution Service has access to broadband via their connection to the Government Secure Extranet.
	Targets for future broadband connectivity are as follows:
	Under the existing framework contracts with the NHS net suppliers, connections to GP practices in England are being upgraded to 256 kbps where they do not already have it. Trust and Health Authority connections are being upgraded to 2 Mbps where they do not already have it, or better. The Target for completion of this exercise is March 2004.
	As part of the Government 21st Century IT strategy for the NHS, it is planned to replace the existing networking arrangements with a new national broadband infrastructure for the NHS England in 2006–07.
	The target date for full broadband access for 100 per cent. of the core criminal justice agencies (the police, Crown Prosecution Service, Courts, Probation Service and Prison Service) is 2006. However, magistrates courts and the Probation Service plan to achieve this during 2003 and the Prison Service plan to achieve it by 2004.

Performance Indicators

Graham Allen: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will create new performance indicators and a table of rankings for (a) Departments and (b) Ministers.

Douglas Alexander: There are no current plans to create tables of ranking for Departments or Ministers. The performance of each Department is assessed against the stretching delivery targets agreed and published in their Public Service Agreements. These are specific to each Department. Progress against PSA targets is reported every spring in departmental reports, with an update in the Autumn Performance Reports. Links to these documents are available on the HM Treasury website. Many of the indicators are also subject to regular statistical release.
	Each Department is scrutinised in public by the relevant Select Committee and this is complemented by the National Audit Office's programme of value-for-money studies.

DEFENCE

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants have been employed by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 22 January 2003, Official Report, columns 333–34W, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

External Consultants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body spent on external consultancy in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence expenditure on External Assistance (EA), of which external consultancy is a part, is available in the Libraries of the House for the years 1995–96 to 2000–01. This includes expenditure broken down by Departmental Top Level Budget Holders and Trading Funds. However, expenditure on external consultancy is not recorded as a specific category of EA and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The return for 2001–02 will be published shortly and figures for 2002–03 will be published once the current financial year has ended.

Fraud and Theft

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been lost by his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft for each year since 1996–97.

Lewis Moonie: The reported estimated cost to the Department including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies of fraud and theft in each financial year since 1996–97 is as follows:
	
		£
		
			 Year Fraud Theft  
		
		
			 1996–97 234,826 231,033 
			 1997–98 98,441 491,215 
			 1998–99 569,863 141,141 
			 1999–2000 1,832,871 204,535 
			 2000–01 660,224 221,126 
			 2001–02 1,318,773 85,407 
		
	
	No abatement is made for subsequent recoveries. The figures relate to a combination of suspected and proven non-procurement and procurement frauds and thefts with estimated values refined from time to time as investigations, sometimes lasting a year or more, reach a conclusion. A major element of estimated cost relates to 'at risk' estimates applied to suspected procurement fraud cases, incorporated here in reported totals from 1999–2000, and are often resolved as 'no crime' or have a proven value lower than original estimates.

Gulf Forces

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel on their way to the Gulf are on S-type contracts.

Adam Ingram: Five soldiers serving on S-type engagements are presently serving in the 'Gulf Region'.
	Although units for possible operations in the Gulf have been identified not all personnel posted to those units will deploy and others may be attached to bring them to full establishment. It is not therefore possible to identify at this stage the total number of personnel on S-type engagements who could ultimately deploy to the region.
	For this answer the 'Gulf Region' includes all Gulf Coastal States.

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with NATO partners about the use of the Alliance in future operations in Iraq, following the formal US request for assistance on 15 January.

Geoff Hoon: None, although discussions continue in the Alliance on the tasking of contingency planning in support of Turkey.

Marchwood

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the Greenpeace protest outside the Sea Mounting Centre at Marchwood has had on embarkations from the military port.

Adam Ingram: The Greenpeace protest resulted in delays to the loading of and the subsequent sailing of four chartered ships, of some one, two, seven and eight hours respectively.

Military Services Ltd

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the potential liability of the UK Government is with respect to International Military Services Ltd; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: International Military Services Limited (IMS) is in dispute with the Government of Iran over the termination terms of contracts let in the 1970s for the supply of tanks and armoured recovery vehicles. The contracts were repudiated by Iran during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Attempts to negotiate a settlement have so far failed and the case has been referred to the International Chamber of Commerce for arbitration. The arbitration tribunal reached a decision on IMS's liability to the Iranian Ministry of Defence in 2001, but IMS is challenging the outcome in the Dutch courts. The amount of the Ministry of Defence's potential liability will be influenced by the result of the appeals process. Until that process is concluded we will not know the size of any liability. The details of the case are commercially confidential.

Ministerial Travel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Missile Defence

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has concerning the use of United States bases in East Anglia as part of the missile defence programme; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I have no such plans.

Missile Defence

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he and his officials have had with the United States Government concerning British industry's involvement in the missile defence programme;
	(2)  pursuant to his oral statement of 15 January, Official Report, column 710, what discussions he and his officials have had, and with which companies, concerning British involvement in the US missile defence programme.

Geoff Hoon: We are currently exploring with the United States authorities and with British industry the possibility of working together in areas of direct relevance to missile defence, including participation in the US programme. Our aim is to conclude a technical Memorandum of Understanding with the US, covering Government and industrial co-operation. The creation of a Missile Defence Technical Centre (MDTC), jointly funded by United Kingdom Government and industry, is being considered to provide a focus for this future technical work. Companies consulted include BAE SYSTEMS, QinetiQ, MBDA (UK), AMS and InSys.

Missile Defence

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which British companies are involved in the United States missile defence system.

Geoff Hoon: We are not aware of any current direct involvement in the United States missile defence programme by United Kingdom-based companies, although BAE SYSTEMS (North America) is a participant in the US industrial team supporting
	the programme.

Mr. Nick Woodward

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the result was of his investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr.Nick Woodward of the Royal Military Police outside Aldershot Barracks in November 2002; and on how many occasions Mr. Woodward was present at Deepcut Barracks.

Lewis Moonie: This incident is subject to an ongoing investigation by the civilian police and it would be inappropriate to comment further. No inquest into the death has yet been held.
	While I can confirm that Mr. Woodward was neither stationed nor attended courses at Deepcut, it is not possible to tell whether he ever visited the barracks in any other capacity.

Normandy Barracks

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the result was of his investigation into the circumstances of the death of the Fijian national found dead at the Normandy Barracks in October 2002; what the cause was of his death; and what period the deceased had spent at Deepcut Barracks.

Lewis Moonie: This incident is subject to an ongoing investigation by the civilian police and it would be inappropriate to comment further. No inquest into the death has yet been held. While I can confirm that the individual in question was neither stationed nor attended courses at Deepcut, it is not possible to tell whether he ever visited the Barracks in any other capacity.

Public-private Partnership (Aircrew Training)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he expects the public private partnership to provide synthetic training services for aircrew to remain within the Ministry of Defence's proposed budget.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

RAF Marham

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what accommodation has been made available at RAF Marham for personnel returning from Germany in recent months; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: 9 Squadron and 31 Squadron returned from RAF Bruggen in the summer of 2001 to RAF Marham. They were provided with sufficient office space and accommodation for operational activities.
	Family housing requirements are being successfully managed, and a current deficit in Single Living Accommodation will be addressed by the provision of 120 rooms as part of Project SLAM: construction of these additional rooms is due to start in May.

Reserve Responsibilities (Hon. Members)

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hon. Members have reserve liabilities for the armed forces.

Lewis Moonie: There is no register of hon. Members who have a reserve liability. The information requested is not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Service Accommodation

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the amount of single living accommodation with en-suite bathrooms.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 18 December 2002, Official Report, column 58WS.

Service Accommodation

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make Z-type accommodation available to all army personnel; and when this process will be completed.

Lewis Moonie: It is intended that Z-type Single Living Accommodation (SLA) will be made available to all trained Army personnel. Where planning regulations allow, accommodation will be built to Z-type (en-suite) specifications. It is planned that a variety of SLA new build and modernisation programmes will deliver some
	40,000 bedspaces by 2017.

Shelter Project

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the work that the Ministry of Defence is conducting with the charity Shelter; and how successful this project has been.

Lewis Moonie: Shelter was selected as the specialist housing adviser to the Armed Forces Project (AFP) established at the Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC), Colchester in April 2001. The project was aimed at identifying the small minority of service leavers who are vulnerable to social exclusion and helping them to avoid homelessness. It was originally funded as a pilot scheme by the Homelessness Directorate (previously known as the Rough Sleepers Unit) of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and has been funded by the Ministry of Defence since April 2002.
	The AFP was established to help those service personnel who are assessed to be at risk of homeless on discharge from the armed forces after a period of detention in MCTC. The Shelter Housing Adviser provides service personnel and the families of Service personnel in detention with the best possible housing information, advice on their housing rights, and representation. The Housing Adviser, where necessary, makes referrals to local support services in the region to which personnel are moving after they leave the armed forces.
	AFP also works in partnership with other MOD housing organisations such as the Joint Services Housing Advice Office (JSHAO) and the Single Persons Accommodation Centre for Ex-Service personnel (SPACES).
	The Shelter AFP has to date helped over 156 service personnel and 27 service families, who were assessed to be at risk of homelessness.

Skill Force (Oldham)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the launching of the Skill Force in Oldham.

Lewis Moonie: The Skill Force initiative is part of Ministry of Defence's work in the wider community as a force for good. The objective is to reduce the number of pupils not in employment, education or training on completion of mandatory education at 16. More immediately, the aim is to reduce truancy, school exclusion and juvenile crime. This is done by using the skills and experience of ex-Service instructors to deliver a vocational alternative for one day a week in school time. The course develops Wider and Key skills through a range of awards and qualifications ranging from St. John's Ambulance young lifesaver to Duke of Edinburgh and Key Skills qualifications. The course is structured around the ASDAN modular vocational award studied at Bronze/Silver level. Pupils gain self-confidence and team skills while working with strong positive role models from the armed forces.
	As a result of an independent evaluation of two of the more mature schemes carried out last year, it was agreed that DfES would fund a further 12 schemes as part of its Behaviour Improvement Programme. 13 local education authorities were invited to include Skill Force in their range of behaviour improvement measures. I am pleased to say that Oldham was one of the authorities chosen and that the scheme there was formally opened on 9 January 2003. A total of some 54 young people are involved in Skill Force Oldham, the participating schools are, Breeze Hill School, Radclyffe School and South Chadderton School.

Special Advisers/Press Officers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers have been employed by his Department in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and at what cost in each year.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 31 January 2003, Official Report, column 1056W, regarding the number of special advisers.
	Details on the number and costs of press officers employed by the Ministry of Defence for the dates in question are not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member once the information is to hand and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Suicide Prevention Measures

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what suicide prevention measures he intends to put in place in the armed forces.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 486W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hull, North (Mr. McNamara).

Theft/Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Lewis Moonie: Reported estimates of the cost of fraud and theft are maintained for the sake of consistency in respect of financial years only and relate to a combination of suspected and proven non-procurement and procurement frauds and thefts with estimated values refined from time to time as investigations, sometimes lasting a year or more, reach a conclusion. A major element of estimated cost usually relates to "at risk" estimates applied to suspected procurement fraud cases which are often resolved as "no crime" or have a proven value lower than original estimates. The reported figures for the Department, its agencies and non- departmental public bodies for the financial year 2001–02 are as follows.
	
		£
		
			 Department Agencies NDPBs 
		
		
			 1,341,364 62,816 - 
		
	
	No abatement is made for subsequent recoveries.

UNICOM

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been put in place to make UNICOM earlier to use.

Lewis Moonie: UNICOM, the Army's unit administrative IT system, is represented on several user-groups and fora that consider proposals for system improvements. Continuous improvement is achieved through 'Change Requests', submitted by users and sponsors; on average some three to four of these are actioned per month and a major upgrade takes place quarterly. UNICOM can also operate through a Windows emulation facility and some sites operate the software through a 'Graphical User Interface (GUI)', but large-scale deployment of this software is dependent on replacement of the user terminals currently in place. This is currently being considered as part of the wider Defence Communications Services Agency Defence Integration Infrastructure (DII) programme alongside the long-term future of the system.

Wattisham Air Traffic Contract

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the risk assessments used in the first and second assessments of the Wattisham Air Traffic Contract were the same.

Adam Ingram: There was a separate risk assessment in each competition for the Wattisham Air Traffic Control Contract. The first competition (contract CS 4D/2017) was won by VT Aerospace but the contract was subsequently declared void by mutual consent. Following termination of this contract, a second competition (contract CS 4D/2027), was launched which included a new risk assessment drawing on the lessons learned from the earlier one.

PRIVY COUNCIL

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the President of the Council if he will make it Government policy that Ministers give holding replies to non-named day questions if a substantive reply is not possible within 10 days of tabling.

Robin Cook: I have no plans to make such a change.

Departmental Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the President of the Council how many times since 2001 he has taken flights within his departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied the Minister on each trip.

Robin Cook: Since becoming Leader of the House of Commons and President of the Council I have not taken any flights on departmental business.

WALES

Correspondence

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters from hon. Members Wales Office Ministers have dealt with since October 2002.

Peter Hain: 38.

Education Announcement

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly about the press coverage of the education announcement in Parliament on 22 January; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: I have had a number of conversations with the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales about the Higher Education White Paper.

Gwydyr House

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 711W, what his estimate is of the open market value of Gwydyr House in Whitehall on the basis of maximum value for non-existing use; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The figure given in the answer of 16 January is the open market value, given existing planning permission.

Gwydyr House

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 711W, on Welsh Office assets, what accounting conventions underlay the upward re-valuation of Gwydyr House from the valuation on 31 March 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The valuation of fixed assets in the resource accounts conforms to Generally Agreed Accounting Principles for the UK. These dictate that each year a true and fair value be placed on all assets. They also require that professional valuations are required for fixed assets at intervals of no more than five years and that appropriate and relevant statistical indices should be used to reflect any increase in the value in the interim.

Permanent Staff

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many permanent staff have been employed by his Department in each year from 1999–2000 to 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Data on staffing levels for my Department, since its establishment on 1 July 1999, is released twice a year by Cabinet Office Press Notice. The latest data for April 2002, was published on 31 October 2002. Data for April of each year from 2000–01 appears in the latest edition of the annual publication "Civil Service Statistics". Copies of the Press Notices and annual publications are available from the Libraries of the House.

Press Releases

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press releases were required by the Welsh Office in the last two years; and how many of these were bilingual.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office issued 86 press releases in 2001–02 and 129 press releases in 2002–03.
	Of these, two press releases in 2001–02 and one press release in2002–03 were issued bilingually. In all three cases, this was because the press releases dealt directly with Welsh language issues.

Railways

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the likely effect of a 10–20 per cent. cut in the cost of franchises for the All Wales railway franchise; when they were made; and in what form.

Peter Hain: I, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for State forWales, have recently met with senior officials of the SRA to discuss a range of issues including railways in Wales.
	The SRA are aware of our realistic ambitions for the Welsh rail network. The rail subsidy reduction exercise is aimed at improving value for money for the operation of the railways in Wales. As yet no decisions on the outcomes of the cut in subsidy have been taken and the SRA have made it clear that they will not consider any proposals which suggests closure of routes in response to a possible reduction to the subsidy.

Railways

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales about the likely effect of a 10–20 per cent.cut in the cost of franchises for the All Wales rail franchise; and when the discussions took place.

Peter Hain: I meet with the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government regularly to discuss a range of issues, including transport in Wales. Recently the Parliamentary Under Secretary for State for Wales met with the Assembly's Minister for the Environment to discuss, amongst other things, rail franchises in Wales.
	We are working closely with the Assembly to ensure that the SRA are aware of our realistic ambitions for the Welsh rail network. The rail subsidy reduction exercise is aimed at improving value for money for the operation of the railways in Wales. As yet no decis;ions on the outcomes of the cut in subsidy have been taken and the SRA have made it clear that they will not consider any proposals which suggest closure of routes in response to a possible reduction to the subsidy.

Special Advisers

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many special advisers were employed by the Welsh Office in 1997; and how many are now employed.

Peter Hain: During the course of 1997 the former Welsh Office employed three different special advisers of whom a maximum of two were in post at any one time. The Wales Office now has two special advisers.

Staff Numbers

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many members of staff there were at the Welsh Office in January 1996; and how many staff are employed at the Welsh Office.

Peter Hain: In January 1996 the Welsh Office employed 2,402 staff (full time equivalents including casuals). The Wales Office currently has a complement of 55 posts.

Staff Salaries

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on salaries for staff at the Welsh Office in 1997; and how much was spent in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Peter Hain: The staff costs of the former Welsh Office in 1996/97 were £48.5 million. The staff costs of the Wales Office in 2001/02 were £1.6 million

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many telephone helplines are sponsored by his Department; and which of these helplines are charged at (a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate.

Peter Hain: My Department does not sponsor any helplines.

Vehicle Fleets

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what the annual rate is at which his Department has renewed its vehicle fleet, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel over the last three years;
	(2)  what progress has been made, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel in each of the past three years, in renewal of his Department's vehicle fleet on a lower emission basis.

Peter Hain: My Department has no agencies and has no vehicles; its road transport needs are met through the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Welsh Office Staff

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of the number of staff employed by the Welsh Office in each year from 1999–2000 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Data on staffing levels for my Department, since its establishment on 1 July 1999, is released twice a year by Cabinet Office Press Notice. The latest data for April 2002 was published on 31 October 2002. Data for April of each year from 2000–01 appears in the latest edition of the annual publication "Civil Service Statistics". Copies of the Press Notices and annual publications are available from the Libraries of the House.
	Estimated outturn of staffing levels for 2003–04 to 2005–06 is 54.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL FOR SCOTLAND

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Advocate General if she will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in her Department.

Lynda Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

SCOTLAND

Industrial Employment

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of employee jobs there are in each industrial sector in (a) Scotland and (b) Fife.

Helen Liddell: The table contains information on the number and proportion of employee jobs in the broad industrial sectors in (a) Scotland and (b) Fife.
	
		
			  Employee jobs in Scotland(September 2002)(3) Employee jobs in Fife(2001)(4) 
			 Sector Number (thousands) Proportion (percentage) Number (thousands) Proportion (percentage) 
		
		
			 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 34.1 1.51 (5)2 (5)1.59 
			 Production 325.9 14.42 28 20.74 
			 Construction 114.6 5.07 8 5.93 
			 Services 1785.3 79.00 98 72.59 
		
	
	(3) ONS Quarterly Employment Estimates
	(4) Annual Business Inquiry
	(5) Figures denoted in the table are for 2000. Figures for this sector for 2001 are incomplete due to the foot and mouth epidemic. The total percentage will therefore not add to 100.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in her Department.

Helen Liddell: My Department currently has four members of staff employed in a total of two job share positions.
	Apart from a very small number of posts, where there are particular business requirements, all vacant posts in the Department are advertised as being available on a part-time, job share/split as well as on a full time basis. Job sharing is only one of the alternative and flexible working patterns available to staff to take up. These arrangements are decided in conjunction with local management to best suit the needs of individuals and the Department.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Farm Incomes

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the levels of farming incomes in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: In 2002 it is estimated that 'Total Income from Farming' in Northern Ireland fell to £129 million. For full-time farm businesses the average net farm income is forecast to be £4,600 for the year ending March 2003, some £3,700 lower than in the previous year. These figures are disappointing but reflect lower producer prices in 2002, particularly for milk, and increased expenditure on purchased feedstuffs, a reflection of the poor weather experienced during the summer of 2002. At present there are some encouraging signs which, if maintained, should lead to an improvement in farm incomes. These include the firming of milk prices and the significant strengthening of the euro relative to sterling. In addition the Vision Action Plan, recently announced by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, addresses many of the challenges currently facing the industry and provides a clear strategy to work towards a viable and sustainable agriculture sector for the future.

Global Point Business Park

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many expressions of interest were received in the development of Global Point Business Park at Corr's Corner, Ballyhenry; what the prospects are for the future of that development; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Outline permission for the development of a mixed use business park at Global Point, Newtownabbey has been hindered by delays in agreeing transportation and development mix issues. It is expected that these will be resolved in the near future. A limited amount of promotion has taken place with 13 potential investors visiting the park in the last year. The current downturn in Foreign Direct Investment and Invest NI's broader responsibilities in respect of business start and business growth in the indigenous market points the way to a more diverse development mix than originally envisaged.

Horticulture

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on government policy on horticulture in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: At the end of January, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for agriculture and rural development, announced a public consultation exercise for the strategic development of the horticulture sector in order to obtain the views of those in the industry and its ancillary stakeholders. This exercise will be instrumental in establishing Government policy for the short, medium and long-term future.
	The consultation exercise is the current phase of a review which follows on from the completion of a consultants' report and development plan to establish future policy for the development of the horticulture sector. A key goal of the development plan will be to assist the industry to devise and implement a strategy to develop commercial horticulture to meet present and future challenges. This continuing emphasis on the need for a strategic approach also reflects one of the recommendations of the Vision report on the future of horticulture.
	I commend the report and development plan to all those with an interest in the future of Northern Ireland horticulture and urge stakeholders to make their views known on these documents so that they can help shape the future of their industry. The closing date for comments on the report and development plan is 21 April 2003.

Industrial Development Board

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what land transactions were concluded between the former IDB and TK-ECC or its predecessors; and what the (a) nature, (b) purpose and (c) amounts involved in such disposals were.

Ian Pearson: The following land transactions were concluded between the former IDB and TK-European Components Corporation:
	At Kennedy Way, West Belfast, European Components Corporation had a 21 year factory lease on 78,000 sq ft building within a nine acre land holding from April 1981. The lease terminated in November 1994 when the company moved to its current location at Upper Newtownards Road, Dundonald.
	At Upper Newtownards Road, Dundonald, European Components Corporation had a 21 year factory lease on a 275,000 sq ft building within a 23 acre land holding from January 1979. The lease terminated in July 1995 when the company purchased the 23 acre site and the factory by freehold for £1,500,000.

Parade's Commission

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to respond to the Review of the Parades Commission submitted by Sir George Quigley.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Ministerial Statement on the same subject made today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

TK-ECC

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance the TK-ECC factory at Dundonald received from the former IDB; what outstanding Letters of Offer exist from Invest Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The information requested, beyond the last five years, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, during the last five years, TK-ECC (formerly European Components Corporation) was offered selective financial assistance totalling £2 million from the former Industrial Development Board. This related to an offer made in 1998 towards an investment programme of £12.2 million. There are no other outstanding offers of selective financial assistance to the company.

TK-ECC

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Invest Northern Ireland is intending to claw back grant aid from TK-ECC following the recent announcement of redundancies at the company's Dundonald plant.

Ian Pearson: The terms and conditions which govern grant clawback are included in Financial Assistance Agreements between Invest NI and the company. In accordance with its standard practice Invest NI will be reviewing the position under these agreements in the light of the recent announcement by the company.

WORK AND PENSIONS

19-Year-Olds

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received from the Foyer Federation regarding the support of 19-year-olds wanting to follow a full-time training or education course.

Nick Brown: Ministers and officials from this Department have regular contact with the Foyer Federation in relation to the issues for which they campaign.
	We have recently received a discussion document from the Foyer Federation;, this sets out the Federation's proposal to extend the financial support available to disadvantaged young people aged 16 to 19 years wanting to take up or continue full- time study.
	Together with colleagues in other interested Departments, we are currently giving the proposals careful consideration and will be responding to the Foyer Federation in due course.

Departmental Suppliers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions who the suppliers are of his Department's (a) paper and (b) paper products.

Malcolm Wicks: The suppliers of cut office paper to Department for Work and Pensions are: Banner Business Supplies, Guilbert (UK) Ltd., Glenmore Business Papers, Premier Paper, and The Paper Company.
	The suppliers of printed paper products are: Astron, Belmont Press, PSUK and Sandy Press, Slater, Cherry Print, Oakfield Press, Colibri Press, MRP, Charisma, Print & Design Factory, Aldridge Print and Trafford (for forms, leaflets, training material and claim packs); Deanprint, Newtown, and Sunstreet (for card and board products); SP&S Secure Print and Stationery, and PADS (for Instruments of Payment and secure forms); Banner Business Stationery (for envelopes); and CEM (for business reply envelopes).

Incapacity Benefit (Claimant Numbers)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of incapacity benefit there were in each year since its introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Nick Brown: The information has been placed in the Library.

New Deal

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have gained unsubsidised sustained employment under the New Deal, broken down by programme, since their implementation; how much has been spent on the New Deal, broken down by programme, in the same period; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: holding answer 20 January 2003
	The available information is in the tables.
	
		
			  Total number of people moving into unsubsidised sustained jobs (up to the end of September 2002, unless otherwise stated) 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People (from January 1998)(6) 290,630 
			 New Deal 25 plus (from July 1998)(6) 80,600 
			 New Deal for Disabled People (from July 2001)(7) (8)1,655 
		
	
	(6) A sustained job in the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus is defined as one lasting 13 weeks or more.
	(7) A sustained job in the New Deal for Disabled People is defined as one lasting 26 weeks out of a 39 week period. New Deal for Disabled People was launched nationally in July 2001. Prior to that, pilots beginning in September 1998 had helped 8,242 people into jobs (sustained and unsustained).
	(8) Figures up to October 2002.
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database
	Separate data for sustained jobs are not available for the New Deal 50 plus, New Deal for Lone Parents or New Deal for Partners. The figures for these programmes which follow therefore relate to all people moving into jobs.
	
		
			  Total number of people moving into jobs (up to the end of September 2002, unless otherwise stated) 
		
		
			 New Deal 50 plus (from April 2000) 86,300 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents (from July 1998) 161,700 
			 New Deal for Partners (from May 1 999) 1.360(9) 
		
	
	(9) Figure up to November 2002
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database
	
		Expenditure on the New Deals(10) -- £million
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 (Est.) 
		
		
			 Young People 50 268 378 368 285 
			 25 plus 0 24 108 128 226 
			 50 plus(11) 0 0 5 20 15 
			 Lone Parents 0 21 41 41 36 
			 Disabled People 0 5 20 10 10 
			 Partners 0 0 5 10 10 
		
	
	(10) Includes expenditure in Northern Ireland.
	(11) New Deal 50 plus expenditure does not include employment credits, which are met from Annually Managed Expenditure
	Using these figures to construct simplistic measures of the cost effectiveness of these programmes is not recommended. When assessing cost effectiveness a range of factors need to be considered including the wider impact on the economy and wider social benefits. Evaluations of some of these programmes have made such assessments, based on a thorough examination of all impacts, and these are contained in their evaluation reports, available in the Library.

New Deal

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have benefited from the new deal for young people in Telford since 1997.

Nick Brown: Up to the end of September 2002, 1,320 people had participated in the new deal for young people in Telford.

Invalid Care Allowance (Mrs. Hedges)

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will decide whether to re-examine his decision with regard to invalid care allowance paid to Mrs. P Hedges of Buckfastleigh, South Devon.

Maria Eagle: Details of individual benefit claims are not disclosed under part 2 paragraph 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. I have written privately to the hon. Member.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Urban Proofing

Paul Flynn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce urban proofing for all government policies.

Tony McNulty: Government policies for delivering an urban renaissance are set out in the Urban White Paper "Our Towns and our Cities: the Future" published in November 2000. Although this does not require policies to be systematically urban proofed, it does provide a comprehensive framework for action for Government policies and programmes affecting urban areas in England. Progress against the White Paper's recommendations is monitored regularly across Government through an Implementation Plan, available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website. The Urban Summit, held last year, brought together Ministers from across Government to reaffirm our commitment to tackling urban issues in an integrated way.
	Urban policy in respect of Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations and, while the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.

Council Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council dwellings he estimates will be built in (a) the current financial year and (b) the next financial year.

Tony McNulty: There were 105 local authority dwellings completed in England during 2001–02. Information from local authority housing strategies shows that the totals of local authority dwellings planned to be built in 2002–03 and 2003–04 were reported as 307 and 199 respectively, but these numbers may include some Registered Social Landlords dwellings.

Education and Social Services

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when it was decided that any local authority with a low CPA score for education and social services would be categorised as weak or poor.

Nick Raynsford: The Audit Commission developed the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) methodology, including the framework of weightings and rules applied to component service scores in determining each council's overall category. The Commission is responsible for classifying authorities based on this assessment framework and for publishing the results. Decisions on the methodology were made following extensive and open consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Government.
	The Audit Commission published their proposals in consultation documents in March and June 2002 and their decisions on the final framework, following evaluation of responses, on 21 October 2002.

Housing (Right to Buy)

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measurements were used to provide evidence that areas satisfy the criteria by which councils were selected for inclusion in proposed reductions in right to buy discounts in his statement of 22 January; and if areas excluded from the statement can apply for inclusion before the Order is laid.

Tony McNulty: The 42 areas listed in my right. hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's statement of 22 January are those that appear to be under the greatest housing market pressure, as evidenced by a high incidence of homelessness and high local house prices. The sources of the homelessness data were statistical surveys of local authority housing departments, routinely conducted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister:
	2001–02 Housing Investment Programme Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix
	Quarterly Housing Activity Return (PIE).
	The data is available on the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, at http://www.housing.odpm.gov.uk/local/hipoi/index.htm.
	House prices were obtained from the Land Registry.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consider carefully all representations received, including any from local authorities or housing associations in areas not covered by these proposals.

Housing (Rural Areas)

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new affordable housing units were completed in (a) England and (b) local authorities defined as rural, by region, in each year since 1978.

Tony McNulty: The number of housing units completed by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities in England for 1978 to 2002 and in local authorities defined as rural, by region for 1989 to 2002 are given in the following tables.
	
		Region
		
			  All England(12) 
		
		
			 1978 113,876 
			 1979 91,065 
			 1980 94,134 
			 1981 71,706 
			 1982 42,840 
			 1983 44,231 
			 1984 43,104 
			 1985 34,582 
			 1986 30,250 
			 1987 27,558 
			 1988 26,911 
		
	
	(12) Urban and rural
	
		
			 Region 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 
		
		
			 North East 177 84 165 146 230 172 197 
			 North West 431 470 255 480 546 665 696 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 660 270 350 327 695 713 500 
			 East Midlands 276 406 422 324 453 445 631 
			 West Midlands 378 404 302 340 449 344 464 
			 East 1,267 1,045 690 865 1,200 1,289 1,292 
			 South East 1,250 1,279 744 689 1,215 1,252 1,261 
			 South West 1,075 1,316 1,172 1168 1,530 1,189 1,408 
			 All England (urban and rural) 25,353 27,836 23,421 24,298 31,201 31,942 31,675 
		
	
	
		
			 Region 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 North East 322 207 121 215 152 246 48 
			 North West 455 324 311 320 254 199 116 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 439 452 177 178 260 96 73 
			 East Midlands 467 307 311 325 356 273 328 
			 West Midlands 394 252 178 416 197 113 138 
			 East 910 953 804 491 714 552 423 
			 South East 682 741 639 447 461 726 413 
			 South West 1,247 982 918 891 1,148 719 482 
			 All England (urban and rural) 27,536 21,256 20,201 17,665 17,248 15,216 13,957 
		
	
	Note:
	The rural local authorities included in the figures are those that are classified by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as "mixed rural" or "deeply rural".
	Source:
	Local Authority returns to ODPM.

Housing Surpluses

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the average surplus, as defined by Government assumptions, per property, of housing owned by (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations.

Tony McNulty: There are currently some 299 local authorities in surplus and some 55 local authorities in deficit based on the assumptions used for housing revenue account subsidy purposes. In aggregate, there is an average deficit of £89.46 per dwelling that is met by subsidy.
	The 2001 Global Accounts and Sector Analysis of Housing Associations jointly published by the Housing Corporation and National Housing Federation show the operating surplus for registered social landlords (RSLs) in 2000–01 to be £125 million. Information on RSLs by dwelling is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The global accounts for 2002 relating to the 2001–02 financial year are not yet available.

Local Government Finance (East Sussex)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department made prior to the announcement into the effects of the Local Government Finance settlement on public services in the shire counties, with particular reference to East Sussex.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has balanced up all of the various pressures in taking decisions on how to distribute the fixed pot of grant, and have implemented a floor that guarantees all authorities, including East Sussex, an increase well above inflation. Shires counties receive an average grant increase of 5.7 per cent.

Milton Keynes and South Midlands Study

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to publish the conclusions of the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Study; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The final report for the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Study was published in September 2002. The Regional Planning Bodies for the east Midlands, south-east and east of England are now considering the study recommendations and will publish alterations to regional planning guidance in due course, in the light of the Deputy Prime Minister's statement "Sustainable Communities, Building for the Future".

New Buildings

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce new standards for the design of new buildings in areas of special historic interest, with particular reference to the City of London.

Tony McNulty: PPG1 General Policy and Principles underlines that "good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere", and that particular weight should be given to the impact of development on areas of "townscape value". There are special requirements under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 when exercising planning functions affecting listed buildings and conservation areas. There no plans to change these expectations.

New Buildings

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage (a) the construction industry, (b) architects and (c) local authorities to improve the quality of design of new buildings.

Tony McNulty: A comprehensive agenda has been set out in "Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future", including significant extra funding for the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment to drive up design standards and skills. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's planning policies have for some time made it clear that when submitting planning proposals applicants should be able to demonstrate how they have taken account of the need for good design.

New Buildings

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) the construction industry to inform local communities of the design of new buildings planned in their area;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to require local authorities to publish full details of major new construction work in the local press before planning permission is granted;
	(3)  if he will make it his policy to ensure that local residents have the opportunity to see (a) plans and (b) artists' impressions of the quality of design of new constructions proposed in their area, before final planning permission is given;
	(4)  if he will make it his policy to penalise local authorities who make it difficult for local residents to gain access to information regarding planned significant construction work in their neighbourhood.

Tony McNulty: PPG1 "General Policy and Principles" underlines that
	"good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere".
	Annex A to PPG1 provides further information on the handling of design issues, and explains that
	"Applicants for planning permission should, as a minimum, provide a short written statement setting out the design principles adopted as well as illustrative material in plan and elevation."
	Good practice guidance is set out in "By Design".
	Under the Town and Country Planning (Applications) Regulations 1988 applications for planning permission are required to include a plan identifying the land to which the application relates and any other plans or drawings and information necessary to describe the development question. Local Planning Authorities can request further information, plans and drawings necessary to enable them to determine the application. All planning applications and planning decisions are placed on the planning register and are open to public inspection during office hours.
	Local planning authorities are required under the Town & Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 to publicise all planning applications. As a minimum, authorities have to notify neighbours directly or place a notice on or near the site. For major applications, including the erection of 10 or more dwellings, a local newspaper advertisement is also required. Pre-application discussions between applicants, local authorities and other interested parties are encouraged to minimise problems at a later stage.
	In addition to the statutory publicity requirements, the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill will, subject to parliamentary approval, require all Local Planning Authorities to produce a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) setting out what the authority will do in terms of involving the community in preparing local development documents and in their consideration of planning applications.
	The SCI will set out who the local planning authority intends to consult (above its statutory consultation requirements) when determining an application for planning permission. It can also specify which bodies an authority would encourage developers to consult in advance of submitting applications for significant development.
	A local planning authority which does not follow the terms of its SCI, or any of its statutory publicity or consultation requirements could be challenged by an aggrieved person in the courts. Where maladministration or injustice is alleged, complaints can be made to the authority's Monitoring Officer. Complaints about maladministration can also be addressed to the Local Government Commissioner (the Local Ombudsman) who can investigate whether maladministration has occurred.

New Developments (Thames Gateway)

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on new developments on flood plains in the Thames Gateway.

Tony McNulty: My right. hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's proposals for new developments in the Thames Gateway were announced in his statement on sustainable communities, housing and planning on 18 July 2002, Official Report, columns 438–42 and his further statement on the long-term programme of action for sustainable communities on 5 February 2003.
	Although much of the new development in Thames Gateway will take place within the indicative flood plain defined by the Environment Agency, the defences on the River Thames provide a high level of protection from flooding. The indicative flood plain must not be confused with the functional flood plain where water needs to flow freely in time of flood. Development in this area should be wholly exceptional, and limited to essential transport and utility infrastructure.
	Elsewhere in the indicative flood plain in Thames Gateway development proposals will still be subject to an appropriate flood-risk assessment and full consultation with the Environment Agency. The agency is a member of the Environment Sub-Group of the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership, and has been working closely on the proposed developments for over a year. It has produced environmental constraint maps for each of the zones of change within Thames Gateway.

Planning Application (Windsor)

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister against what criteria he will determine whether to call-in the planning application by the royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to develop a civic quarter; and when he will announce his decision.

Tony McNulty: My right. hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's policy, against which he will consider whether to call in a planning application by the royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to develop a civic quarter, is to be very selective about calling in planning applications. This step will generally be taken if planning issues of more than local importance are involved. Such cases may include for example, those which in his opinion:
	may conflict with national policies on important matters;
	could have significant effects beyond their immediate locality;
	give rise to substantial regional or national controversy;
	raise significant architectural or design issues; or
	may involve the interests of national security or foreign governments.
	Each case will be considered on its individual merits. A decision on the application will be announced in the not too distant future.

Planning Application (Windsor)

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister why the decision on calling-in the planning application by the Royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for the development of a civic quarter has been postponed.

Tony McNulty: The decision on whether or not to call-in the planning application by the Royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for the development of a civic quarter has been postponed for a short period. This has been to allow consideration of the interrelationships with other proposals, the range of policy issues involved and to allow consideration of public representations that are currently being made to the Government Office.

Planning Applications

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many planning officers were employed in his Department to determine cases of calling-in planning applications on (a) 1 January 2002 and (b) 1 January 2003.

Tony McNulty: The number of staff in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister involved in the planning process (including whether or not to call in a planning application) on (a) 1 January 2002 was 144 and on (b) 1 January 2003 was 131.

Planning Applications

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many decisions to call-in planning applications are outstanding with his Department; and for how long each has been under consideration.

Tony McNulty: The number of planning applications under consideration as to whether or not to call in, outstanding on 4 February was 122. Of these 58 have been under consideration less than 3 weeks.

Radio Masts

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent planning guidelines have been issued on granting planning permission for radio masts; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: On 22 August 2001, taking into account the recommendations in the Stewart Report published in May 2000 and following the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister public consultation, changes were introduced that significantly improved the planning procedures and guidance for telecommunications mast development. These are set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8). The main changes:
	strengthened public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 metres and below so that they are the same as for planning applications;
	increased the time for an authority to deal with prior approval applications to 56 days;
	underlined that school governors must be consulted on all proposals for new masts on or near a school or college; and
	increased fees to enable authorities to carry out full public consultation.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to amend further the planning arrangements for telecommunications development.
	A Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development, produced jointly by representatives of central and local government and the mobile phone industry, was published on 11 November 2002. The code is a guide to the siting of mobile phone masts produced jointly by representatives of central and local government and the mobile phone industry.

Right to Buy

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what calculations underlie his assessment that last year's right-to-buy sales will result in a long run cost of some £850 million; and whether he offset the lifetime rental subsidy in his calculations.

Tony McNulty: The long term cost of a Right to Buy sale compares the financial costs and benefits to the public sector over 30 years from a RTB sale compared to if the sale had not taken place. There are three elements to this:
	the receipt from the sale—a financial benefit;
	rental income foregone and expenditure saved from the home no longer being in the public sector—usually a cost;
	the grant needed to build a replacement social home, in the year when the home sold under RTB would have been available for letting if it had not been sold—a cost
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's analysis indicates that these three elements together represent a cost per sale of £17,000. This includes allowance for any net rental subsidy. Multiplied by 52,000 RTB sales in 2001–02 suggests a total long term cost of these sales of £885 million.

Seaside and Country Homes Scheme

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many properties have been added to the Seaside and Country Homes scheme since 1979.

Tony McNulty: None.

Seaside and Country Homes Scheme

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the terms of reference are of the review of the operation and extent of the Seaside and Country Homes scheme being undertaken as part of the procurement of the Housing and Employment Mobility Services.

Tony McNulty: The review consists of discussions with bidders for the Housing and Employment Mobility Services on their future management of the scheme and changes that might be implemented to the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme once they are running it. As this is not a formal review no terms of reference have been written.

Water Framework Directive

Helen Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he is taking to ensure that current reforms in land use planning will take into account UK obligations under the EC Water Framework Directive.

Tony McNulty: The EC Water Framework Directive contains no explicit provision in relation to land-use planning but River Basin Management Plans and land-use plans need to be mutually supportive. The requirement in the new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill that every local development document should be subject to an appraisal of the sustainability of the proposals should assist in this. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering further with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how best to develop the linkages between the requirements of the Directive and land-use planning.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were registered as living in (a) each of the boroughs in Hampshire, (b) Southampton and (c) Portsmouth in each of the years between 1997 to 2002.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 31 January 2003
	The information is not currently available in the form requested. Measures in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 and the introduction of induction, accommodation and reporting centres are designed to ensure stringent contact management and as a result
	better information on the location of asylum seekers.
	The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the United Kingdom either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.
	The following table shows the number of asylum seekers supported in the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation in Hampshire at the requested times. Figures by borough are not available.
	
		Table showing the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation in Hampshire(13)
		
			  As at end 
			  2000 2001 September 2002 
		
		
			 Portsmouth 0 170 245 
			 Southampton 0 345 455 
			 Total 0 510 705 
		
	
	(13) All figures have been rounded to the nearest five and may not sum due to rounding. Figures exclude cases where support has ceased.
	Additionally some asylum seekers receive subsistence only support from NASS or are disbenefited cases 1 These figures are available only at regional level. The following table shows the number of asylum seekers in these categories who were staying in the South Central region (which includes Hampshire).
	1 Disbenefited cases are cases which were previously supported under the main UK benefits system and have been moved onto NASS support. Some of these cases have remained in the original social services accommodation.
	
		Table showing the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) receiving subsistence only support or being supported as a disbenefited case in the South Central region (which includes Hampshire)
		
			  As at end 
			  2000 2001 September 2002 
		
		
			 Subsistence only 1,330 3,150 4,410 
			 Disbenefited 0 45 75 
			 Total 1,330 3,195 4,485 
		
	
	From grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at the end of December 2002, there were the following number of asylum seekers supported by local authorities:
	
		Table showing the number of asylum seekers supported by local authorities in Southampton, Portsmouth and the rest of Hampshire as at the end of December 2002
		
			  Singles Families Total households 
		
		
			 Southampton 220 35 250 
			 Portsmouth 85 25 105 
			 Rest of Hampshire 40 5 45 
		
	
	In previous years information is available only on the number of weeks support given to asylum seekers as opposed to the number of asylum seekers actually supported.
	Statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS in each region are available on the Home Office's Immigration and Asylum Statistics website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those who have unsuccessfully sought asylum were deported in each year from 1997 to 2002.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 31 January 2003
	Information on the proportion of those persons who have been removed after unsuccessfully seeking asylum is not available, except by examination of individual case files, this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The number of principal asylum applicants removed from 1997 to September 2002 is given in the table.
	
		Removal of asylum seekers(14)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 January toSeptember 2002(15) 
		
		
			 Principal applicants 7,165 6,990 7,665 8,980 9,285 7,780 
			 Dependants(16) n/a n/a n/a n/a (16)1,495 1,825 
		
	
	(14) Includes persons departing "voluntarily" after enforcement action has been initiated against them and persons leaving under the Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the IOM.
	(15) Provisional data subject to change.
	(16) Data for dependants removed only shows those removed from April 2001 onwards. Data on dependants was not collected prior to this date.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded the nearest five.

Asylum Seekers

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) asylum seekers and (b) persons who have had their asylum applications denied are residing in Eastbourne.

Beverley Hughes: The information is not currently available in the form requested. Measures in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum (NIA) Act 2002 and the introduction of induction, accommodation and reporting centres are designed to ensure stringent contact management, and as a result better information on the location of asylum seekers.
	The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.
	NASS does not disperse asylum seekers to accommodation in Eastbourne. Some asylum seekers receive subsistence only support from NASS or are disbenefited cases. 1 Statistics on these cases are only available at regional level. As at the end of September 2002 there were 4,410 asylum seekers (including dependants) who were receiving subsistence only support, and 75 disbenefited asylum seekers (including dependants), who were staying in the South Central region (which includes Eastbourne). 2
	From grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at the end of December 2002, there were 75 single asylum seekers and 30 asylum seeker families being supported by local authorities in East Sussex.
	Statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS in each region are available on the Home Office's Immigration and Asylum Statistics website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	Statistics are not available on the location of persons who have been refused asylum.
	1 Disbenefited cases are cases which were previously supported under the main UK benefits system and have been moved onto NASS support. Some of these cases have remained in the original social services accommodation.
	2 All figures have been rounded to the nearest five. Figures exclude cases where support has ceased.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) powers he has and (b) policy he applies to assess the health of (a) asylum seekers and (b) other immigrants, in considering their admission to the UK.

Beverley Hughes: Under the Immigration Act 1971, Immigration Officers are able to refer persons seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom to Medical Inspectors at ports of entry.
	Paragraph 36 of the Immigration Rules sets out the circumstances in which Immigration Officers may refer an individual to a Medical Inspector for examination.
	Current policy is to refer for medical examination any person who mentions health or medical treatment as a reason for his visit, or who appears not to be in good mental or physical health, or who intends to remain in the United Kingdom for more than six months and comes from an area of the world which is high risk for TB.
	This action during the immigration process is complemented by work done by the national health service (NHS) at local level. The NHS follow up any cases of infection that are identified by the Medical Inspector and arrange any necessary testing which is unavailable at the Port.
	We intend that asylum applicants who go to an induction centre on arrival will undergo a basic health screening. To evaluate the specification and benefits of this new service, a pilot started at Dover Induction Centre during the summer of 2002. The pilot includes the following;
	Recording immunisation history;
	Recording full medical history to identify past illnesses; ongoing chronic conditions and communicable diseases; and
	TB screening and referral (as appropriate).
	The results of the pilot have yet to be evaluated.
	The Government are undertaking a new, comprehensive review of immigration and imported infections involving discussions between the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. As a starting point, the Cabinet Office has been commissioned to establish the facts on immigration and asylum and the related public health issues.

Child Prostitution

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been taken since 1997 to combat child prostitution and punish those who control and use this.

Hilary Benn: It is a tragedy for any child to become involved in prostitution. Children involved in prostitution are primarily victims of abuse and adults who take advantage of them, whether by exploiting them as pimps or by buying sexual services from them, are child abusers.
	The Government issued guidance for agencies working with children entitled "Safeguarding Children in Prostitution" in May 2000. This was followed by the "The National Plan for Safeguarding Children from Commercial Sexual Exploitation", which was published in September 2001.
	The message of both documents is that those under 18 who engage in prostitution are almost invariably victims and must be treated as such. A further message is that wherever possible criminal justice action should be pursued against those who abuse children through prostitution or seek to exploit them as prostitutes.
	"Setting the Boundaries: Reforming the law on sex offences", the report of the Review of Sex Offences published in July 2000, did not specifically review the law on prostitution but did consider matters relating to exploiting the prostitution of others, especially children. It made recommendations to clarify, and make more effective the legislation relating to sexual exploitation. The Government announced their response to this document in the command paper "Protecting the Public" in November 2002, and introduced the Sexual Offences Bill to Parliament on 28 January 2002. This Bill proposes four new offences to directly tackle the commercial sexual exploitation of children, which will carry severe penalties. These new offences are:
	Paying for Sex with a Child to tackle the demand side of this terrible trade. It will be an offence to pay for sex with a child or promise such payment or have sex with a child in the knowledge that another person has paid for or promised payment for this. The maximum penalty ranges from seven years to life imprisonment depending upon the age of the child involved, and the nature of sexual activity engaged in.
	Causing or Inciting Child Prostitution or Pornography tackles those who for their own or another's gain cause or encourage a child to become involved in prostitution or pornography. The maximum sentence for this offence is 14 years imprisonment.
	Controlling a Child Prostitute or a Child involved in Pornography covers the extremely repugnant issue of pimping, where a person directs or controls the activities and movements of a child in the course of their sexual exploitation. A man who, for example, made a child stand on certain street corners, or instructed the child to participate in the making of a pornographic film would be guilty of this offence. The maximum sentence for this offence is 14 years imprisonment.
	Arranging or Facilitating Child Prostitution or Pornography covers, for example, the landlord or parent who knowingly, and for their own, or another person's gain, arranges for or allows their house to be used for the filming of a pornographic video in which children are abused.
	These proposed new offences cover the sexual exploitation of children up until the age of 18.
	The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 introduces a new offence of trafficking persons to control them in prostitution. This offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. The Sexual Offences Bill includes more comprehensive trafficking legislation, carrying the same penalties but covering a wider range of activities, which are intended to replace this provision.
	In addition, the Home Office continues to fund six prostitution initiatives as part of the "What Works: Tackling Prostitution" scheme, funded by the Crime Reduction Programme. These projects address the issues of child prostitution, policing and the process of exiting a lifestyle of prostitution and seek to better inform us of successful strategies for dealing with and managing the nuisance caused by the activities of prostitutes, the behaviour of those involved in the exploitation of others and ways of supporting those involved in prostitution who wish to exit the trade.

Corporate Liability

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department plans to introduce legislation to amend the law relating to corporate liability for killing.

Hilary Benn: The Government consulted on proposals for legislation on corporate manslaughter, and we are currently conducting a regulatory impact assessment. This is a routine measure which is undertaken on all new proposals. The Government are committed to introducing legislation, and will do so when parliamentary time allows.

Criminal Records Bureau

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assumptions underlay his estimate of fees from the Criminal Records Bureau for financial year 2004–05 as stated in his answer of 21 March 2002, Official Report, columns 472–74W; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The estimate of Criminal Record Bureau fees (£117,276,161) quoted in the answer to Matthew Taylor's question of 21 March 2002 were based on a charge of £13.80 for a disclosure, £345 for a registered body and £5.75 for a countersignature. These were estimated to generate £131,264,580 gross revenue, which minus the cost of free disclosures for volunteers (£13,988,419) results in a net revenue of £117,276,161. The demand for enhanced and standard Disclosures was forecasted to be 3,330,595 and for basic Disclosures, 5,990,000. These figures were all determined over 12 months ago and are currently being reviewed.

Departmental Secondments

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are seconded to his Department from the private sector; and from which companies they are seconded.

Beverley Hughes: Secondments are part of the Interchange initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: Voluntary, Education, Health, Public and Private. Interchange provides opportunities for civil servants to learn new skills, widen their experience and develop ideas. It also brings in skills and experiences from other sectors.
	Over 100 staff are currently seconded into the Home Office, only one of whom is recorded as being from the private sector, British Telecom. In addition, units may second people with a specific skill to contribute to particular projects.

Race Relations Act

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his plans to repeal section 9 of the Race Relations Act 1976.

Beverley Hughes: The Government's proposal to repeal section 9 of the Race Relations Act is part of a package of measures for implementing the EC Article 13 Race and Employment Directives set out in the consultation document "Equality and Diversity: The Way Ahead". The consultation exercise ended on 24 January. The responses to the consultation are currently being analysed and policy will be developed in the light of the responses.
	The Government aims to implement the Race Directive by its deadline of 19 July. The Government intends to lay regulations before Parliament in the spring. The affirmative resolution procedure will be used.

Rape

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the arrangements are for funding rape crisis centres and rape crisis helplines;
	(2)  what plans he has to fund the establishment of a national rape crisis line;
	(3)  what plans he has to ensure the presence of rape support services in the locations in which rape crisis centres have closed in the past 12 months.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 28 January 2003
	The Home Office has funded the Rape Crisis Federation, the umbrella body for rape crisis centres, since April 2001. This year's grant will be up to £432,000.
	Central Government does not fund local rape crisis centres or helplines. Like other independent local voluntary organisations, they must look primarily to local sources for funding.
	The Home Office has no plans at present to fund the establishment of a national rape crisis helpline, nor to ensure the presence of rape support services in any particular location, though we are currently exploring ways of best supporting the
	victims of sexual assault and rape.

Wildlife (Illegal Trade)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reason was for the delay in publishing explanatory notes to the Criminal Justice Bill.

Hilary Benn: The Explanatory Notes to the Criminal Justice Bill were published a week after the Bill itself in order to allow sufficient time for them to be thoroughly checked.

Work Permits

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons from Sangatte have (a) applied for and (b) been issued with work permits in the last three months.

Beverley Hughes: 900 persons have been given a visa permitting them to work in the United Kingdom under the deal to close Sangatte.

Work Permits

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits have been issued in each of the last four months for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The figures for the number of work permits approved in the last four months are given in the table:
	
		
			 Month Number issued 
		
		
			 October 11,726 
			 November 10,529 
			 December 9,706 
			 January 11,047 
			 Total 43,008

Work Permits

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy to issue work permits to all applicants from the same countries as former Sangatte residents who have been issued with work permits.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale) on 5 December 2002, Official Report, column 976W. The Arrangements for Sangatte have no implications for other work permit applications.

Yarl's Wood

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 3 July, Official Report, column 433W, on Yarl's Wood, how many of those who were detained at Yarl's Wood are detained (a) in a prison and (b) in an immigration detention centre; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: No separate records are maintained as to the status and location of former Yarl's Wood detainees. Such information could be obtained only by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

Yarl's Wood

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish part of the report of Mr. Stephen Moore into the disturbance at Yarl's Wood on 14 February 2002.

Beverley Hughes: Stephen Moore's terms of reference require him to take full account of inquiries being undertaken by the Bedfordshire Police and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. He is also required to conduct his inquiry in a way that would not impede any criminal investigation. Criminal trials arising out of the events at Yarl's Wood on 14 and 15 February are listed for April 2003. Consideration is therefore still being given as to when the report can be completed and published.

Yarl's Wood

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to re-open the Yarl's Wood remand centre to detainees from April; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: No firm decision about that part of the Yarl's Wood site that was destroyed by fire has yet been taken. However, work has started with a view to the installation of sprinklers in the remaining part and places will become available as soon as this installation and other associated work are complete. We are working towards opening the centre in late April or early May to house single females, and later families, both asylum and non-asylum cases. There is also the matter of the outstanding insurance claim to be settled and negotiations are continuing on this.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Entertainment Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what his estimate is of the total spending of his Department on entertainment in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Expenditure by both officials and Ministers on entertainment for the financial year 2002–03 is estimated to be between £40,000 to £45,000, in 2001–02 was £44,730, in 2000–01 was £60,768, in 1999–2000 was £71,166 and in 1998–99 was £45,087. Data prior to 1998–99 is not readily available.

Family Law Act

Margaret Moran: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements the Crown Prosecution Service has put in place to implement section 60 of the Family Law Act 1996.

Rosie Winterton: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer provided on 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 67W.

Hereford Crown Court

Paul Keetch: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans there are for asylum and immigration appeals to be heard at Hereford crown court; what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There are no plans to use Hereford crown court for asylum and immigration appeals and my Department has received no representations on this.

Solicitors

Ann Winterton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will ensure that sole practitioner solicitors can be indemnified for fraud; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: It is a general principle of English law that one cannot be indemnified against one's own dishonesty. So in that regard it is not possible for a sole practitioner solicitor, or any other person, to have insurance cover against his/her own fraud. For this reason most professional indemnity insurance policies contain a dishonesty exclusion which excludes the liability of the insurer to indemnify any person involved in the dishonesty, or fraudulent act, giving rise to the claim. Any "innocent" partners or employees not involved in the dishonesty or fraud will still have the benefit of cover under the policy. The current position, whereby solicitors obtain indemnity insurance from commercial providers, does not differ from the previous arrangements under which indemnity cover was provided by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund.
	However, the Law Society continues to maintain a Compensation Fund, under which it is possible to make a claim for loss arising out of the dishonesty of a Solicitor, including a sole practitioner, in circumstances where the claim is excluded from the practice's professional indemnity cover. Any payments from the fund are made on a discretionary basis by the Law Society, having regard to the statutory provisions, rules and guidelines pursuant to which the fund is maintained. The level of cover provided by the Compensation Fund is up to £1 million per claim.

Solicitors

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many practising solicitors there are in England and Wales; and how many there were in 1992.

Rosie Winterton: I understand from the Law Society that the number of solicitors with practising certificates as at 31 July 1992 was 59,563, and as at 31 January 2003 was 90,358.

Voting Age

Phil Sawford: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations the Department has received from the Electoral Commission on lowering the voting age to 16.

Yvette Cooper: None to date. I understand that the Electoral Commission is shortly to commence a review of the voting age, and its work will include the preparation of a paper which is expected to be issued widely for public consultation this summer. The Government welcome this review, which will help to inform the debate on the age that the right to vote should be set. It will give careful serious consideration to any recommendations the Electoral Commission may make following its review.

HEALTH

National School Fruit Scheme

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include (a) nursery schools and (b) Ethelred Nursery School in the National School Fruit Scheme.

Hazel Blears: The National School Fruit Scheme will entitle children aged four to six to a free piece of fruit each school day by 2004. The original pilots are now being expanded in selected regions in England with funding from the New Opportunities Fund.
	During this expansion the scheme is open to children in reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes within local education authority maintained infant, primary and special schools as well as children in nursery classes attached to these schools. Free fruit is offered to whole classes and therefore some three and seven-year-olds also receive fruit if they are in these classes. Nursery schools that are not attached to infant, primary or special schools are not eligible and there are currently no plans to include them.
	These early stages of expansion are being carefully evaluated to learn lessons that will inform all aspects of the Scheme in 2004, including the practicalities of delivery to large numbers of schools.
	In the consultation document, "Healthy Start", we put forward proposals to enable children in nurseries to have the choice of either a piece of fruit or milk via the Welfare Food Scheme. Decisions on the future of the Scheme will not be taken until the outcome of the consultation on the proposals has been assessed.

999 Services

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reason the 999 service for the London area does not enable callers about health emergencies in other regions to be patched through to the 999 service for the regions concerned;
	(2)  what guidelines are given to London 999 Ambulance Service telephone operators on handling emergency calls from telephones in London reporting someone collapsed in another part of the country;
	(3)  for what reason London 999 Ambulance Service telephone operators tell callers reporting an emergency in another part of the country that they can only attempt to find a number to ring to pass on the information to the 999 service in that part of the country.

John Hutton: The 999 system is designed to put callers in touch with the emergency services locally. If an ambulance service receives a call that is outside their area then it is their responsibility to pass it on to the ambulance service in the appropriate area.
	If a call is made close to the London Ambulance Service's boundaries the nearest ambulance is immediately dispatched in accordance with nationally agreed control procedures. This action is taken before, or at the same time as, the call details are being transferred to the service responsible for the call. Once connected to the appropriate service a joint decision is taken between the staff of both services as to whether the first ambulance should continue or be cancelled in favour of a local ambulance resource that may be closer to the call.

999 Services

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to enable callers in one part of the country seeking emergency help for someone in another part of the country to be put into contact with the 999 emergency ambulance service in the region concerned.[R]

David Lammy: The 999 system is designed to put callers in touch with the emergency services locally. If an ambulance service receives a call that is outside their area then it is their responsibility to pass it on to the ambulance service in the appropriate area.

Ambulances

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff there were in each ambulance station in TENYAS in each month since 1 January 2002; and what redeployments of staff there were between ambulance stations in the same period.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table. However, the numbers of redeployments of staff are not collected centrally, nor by Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (TENYAS).
	
		Staff establishment by station for the period January 2002 to December 2002 (wte)
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 North Yorkshire  
			 Harrogate 30 30 30 30 27 27 28 28 28 30 30 30 
			 Ripon 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 
			 Bramham 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 
			 Pateley Bridge 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 8 8 8 8 
			 Northallerton 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 
			 Thirsk 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 
			 Richmond 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 9 
			 Bainbridge 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 8 8 8 8 
			 Scarborough 21 21 20 19 19 18 18 18 18 20 20 21 
			 Filey 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 
			 Whitby 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 15 18 18 18 18 
			 Kirkbymoorside 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 
			 Malton 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 
			 York 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 29 29 30 30 30 30 
			 Selby 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 
			 Haxby 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 
			  
			 Hull/East Riding 
			 Anlaby 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 
			 Hull Central 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 41 43 
			 Sutton Fields 29 29 29 29 29 29 28 29 28 30 30 27 
			 Preston 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 
			 Hornsea 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 
			 Withernsea 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 
			 Driffield 10 10 10 10 9 9 10 11 11 11 11 11 
			 Bridlington 18 18 18 17 18 18 18 20 20 20 20 20 
			 Pocklington 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 
			 Beverley 15 15 15 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 14 15 
			 Brough 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 
			 Goole 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 24 24 247 24 
			  
			 Tees 
			 Carling 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 
			 Redcar 26 26 26 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 
			 Coulby 19 19 19 (17)63 63 63 63 63 63 63 63 63 
			 Newham — — — — — — — — — — — — 
			 Middlesbrough 26 26 26 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 
			 Stockton 30 30 30 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 
			 Hartlepool 26 26 26 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 
		
	
	1. Increase in establishment for Tees area staff also moved from other stations to form permanent relief/extra crew at Coulby Newham to remove relief from base stations.
	Source:
	Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (TENYAS)

Bone Fractures (Hospital Patients)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to Ref.PQ02260, 29 January 2003, whether statistics on the numbers of people experiencing bone fractures while being cared for in NHS hospitals will be collected as part of the proposed national reporting and learning system for adverse events.

David Lammy: The national reporting and learning system will collect reports from National Health Service staff, patients, carers and the public on all kinds of adverse events and near misses involving NHS patients, including those relating to bone fractures.
	The system will enable the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) to identify trends and patterns of adverse events, including avoidable injuries such as bone fractures, and to use this information to seek effective solutions to stop them recurring.
	The NPSA is currently looking into interventions to prevent hip fractures occurring to those who fall while under NHS care, including the use of hip protectors. The NPSA is also collaborating with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in the development of guidelines for falls prevention in acute settings.

Brain Cooling Technologies

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of brain cooling technologies in treating brain damage.

Jacqui Smith: Researchers have suggested that cooling the body may limit a chemical chain reaction in which injured brain cells release toxic chemicals that damage neighbouring cells. Clinical trials in rat populations with traumatic brain injuries suggest hypothermia does reduce permeability of the blood brain barrier, bruising and swelling of the brain, and neural cell death and injury. In recent years, there have been human clinical trials studying the connection between hypothermia and traumatic brain injury outcomes.
	Some of the trials showed promising results, while one showed no benefit and, in fact, indicated hypothermia may be harmful to patients over 45 years of age. It has now been recognised that larger trials are required that provide the statistical power necessary to give clear answers both in children and in adults.

Buckingham Hospitals NHS Trust

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2003, Official Report, column 803W, on Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, what action he will take to ensure that (a) a chief executive and (b) other executive directors will be in post when the Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust comes into being.

Hazel Blears: Several senior appointments have been made to the Buckinghamshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust which include the chair and two of the non executive directors.
	Interviews were held for the post of chief executive on 29 January, but no appointment was made. Interim management arrangements are being discussed to ensure that the new trust can assume its role from 1 April.
	I will write to the hon. Member outlining these arrangements when they are finalised.

Care Bed Costs

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of (a) establishing and (b) running (i) a high dependency care bed and (ii) an intensive care bed was in the last period for which figures are available.

David Lammy: Information is not collected centrally on the average cost of establishing and/or running a high dependency or intensive care bed.

Child Asylum Seekers

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on what health assessment is made for unaccompanied children applying for asylum.

Jacqui Smith: Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are supported by local authorities' social services departments under the Children Act 1989. This requires authorities to undertake a needs assessment as specified in the Government guidance, the "Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families".
	This multi-disciplinary assessment will determine the type of support the young person will receive, depending on their needs, wishes and capabilities. If the child becomes looked after, a health assessment must be undertaken and then reviewed annually by an appropriately qualified registered medical practitioner.
	If not a looked-after child, support may be less intensive but will still be in line with the framework guidance.

Chiropodists and Podiatrists

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions there have been between his Department and the Health Professions Council on how the public will differentiate between the clinical competencies and qualifications of chiropodist and podiatrist practitioners;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the efficacy of using the titles chiropodist and podiatrist to differentiate between the clinical competencies and qualifications of chiropodist and podiatrist practitioners.
	(3)  what his policy is on whether the titles chiropodist and podiatrist should indicate different levels of clinical competency; and if he will make a statement.
	(4)  what plans his Department has to recommend to the Health Professions Council that they institute a sub-register for current chiropodists who may decide not to join the Health Professions Council's register.
	(5)  what plans his Department has to recommend to the Health Professions Council that they create protected titles other than chiropodist and podiatrist.

John Hutton: I met with the president and chief executive of the Health Professionals Council (HPC) on 4 December 2002 at which all aspects of the HPC's proposals were discussed.
	The HPC consulted about which titles should be protected by law and has undertaken extensive market research to understand the public's perception of titles currently in use by healthcare professionals. The HPC's decision to propose the protection of both chiropodist and podiatrist reflects the general perception that these titles are used interchangeably. The titles indicate that those registered have met HPC's standards of competence. All applicants for registration will be expected to meet standards of proficiency, whether they are applying through the transitional arrangements, as international applicants or as UK applicants who have completed an approved course.
	The HPC proposes using subsections of the register to distinguish between modalities of care but believes that to distinguish between skill levels would be confusing and unnecessary. The HPC has no plans to introduce a sub-register for those practitioners who do not meet the Council's standards of proficiency and who would not therefore be able to use the protected titles. Ultimately, it is for the Health Professions Council to propose and the Privy Council to determine the protected titles that will be associated with parts and subsections of the Health Professions Register.

Clothing Provision (NHS Trusts)

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the effect on the self-esteem and recovery of long-term patients of being reliant on the NHS trust for clothing, with particular reference to those with mental health problems;
	(2)  what the scope is of the National Institute of Mental Health's evidence-gathering exercise regarding the provision of clothing for long-term patients by NHS trusts; and how and when good practice in this area will be disseminated.

Jacqui Smith: The Government has made no assessment of the effect on the self-esteem and recovery of long term patients in mental health in-patient units being reliant on the National Health Service for clothing. However, empowering patients to take an active role in their own care is a key theme in the NHS Plan. In addition, the National Institute for Mental Health for England (NIMHE) is in the process of gathering examples of positive practice in the provision of clothing needs for long term patients in mental health in-patient units. We hope to make such examples of positive practice available on the NIMHE website in the spring.

Coronary Heart Disease

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts provide drug eluting stents for the treatment of coronary heart disease.

Hazel Blears: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Crisis Management

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether staff from health protection organisations managing organisational change will have the surge capacity to cope with a major crisis.

Hazel Blears: The organisational change is being managed by the Health Protection Agency implementation team, through the change management protocols.
	The human resources departments of the health protection organisations are closely involved. The capability and capacity to respond to major incidents embedded within the health protection organisations will continue to be delivered and as always in any major incident a reprioritisation of tasks is undertaken by senior managers in order to deliver the surge capacity that is required.

Dementia

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the impact of the health service Ombudsman's ruling on the Squires case on the Government's policy on those suffering from (a) dementia and (b) Alzheimer's.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 4 February 2003
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is aware of the Ombudsman's report on continuing care, which includes the Squires case. However, the report has not yet been published.
	The Government will consider their response once the report has been published.

Doctor Recruitment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what negotiations his Department has had with the Italian Government on the possibilities of recruiting doctors.

John Hutton: Officials from the Department will be meeting with officials from the Italian Ministries of Health and Labour later this month. The purpose of the meeting will be to progress the recruitment of doctors to work in the National Health Service.

Employers' National Insurance Contributions

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost to each NHS provider in the Thames Valley area of meeting the planned increase in employers' national insurance contributions.

Hazel Blears: The increases in National Insurance, announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 17 April 2002, will come in to effect in April 2003. A table is attached showing the percentage increase on the provider's total cost base. As the NI increase is 1 per cent., on pay, and pay is two thirds or more of costs, this averages about 0.7 per cent. increase on total costs.
	Exact figures are not available as individual National Health Service staff members' pay and deductions are not collected centrally.
	
		Cost of national insurance increases to providers in the Thames Valley area
		
			 Acute Trusts National Insurance 
		
		
			 Oxford Radcliffe 0.69 
			 Nuffield Orthopaedic 0.68 
			 Royal Berks & Battle Hospitals 0.77 
			 Heatherwood & Wexham 0.78 
			 South Bucks 0.62 
			 Stoke Mandeville 0.68 
			 Milton Keynes 0.51 
			   
			 Other Trusts  
			 Oxford Mental Health 0.72 
			 Oxford Learning Disability 0.65 
			 Oxford Ambulance 0.70 
			 Berkshire Healthcare 0.71 
			 Royal Berks Ambulance 0.70 
			 Bucks Mental Health 0.81 
			 Two Shire Ambulance 0.70

External Consultants

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on external advisers or consultants by the Department of Health in 2002–03; and what is budgeted to be spent on external consultants and advisers in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06.

David Lammy: Expenditure by the Department on external advisers or consultants in 2002–03 is £2.943 million. This figure represents expenditure as at December 2002.
	The Department does not centrally report or record what expenditure on consultants may be required for future years, so this information is not available.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2003, Official Report, column 523W, on fair trade, if his Department will establish rules to support the Government's position on fair trade.

David Lammy: Existing procurement procedures within the Department already allow consideration of a wide range of criteria in the evaluation of tenders within the framework of the Government's value for money policies and the European Community procurement rules. These include assessment of company policies on a range of issues including purchasing and the environment to ensure compliance with the appropriate Government policy in these areas, including fair trade.
	Within the Department, our approved catering supplier is committed to supporting fair trade and requires all its suppliers to comply with this policy.

Gender Reassignment Surgery

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent information he has collated on waiting lists for gender reassignment surgery;
	(2)  how many tertiary level consultants and sessions were devoted to (a) male to female psychiatric assessment, (b) female to male psychiatric assessment, (c) male to female gender confirmation surgery and (d) female to male gender confirmation surgery, in respect of each specialist centre providing medical treatment of gender dysphoria, including transsexualism, within the national health service, in the most recent week for which figures are available and in the same week in each of the previous three years; how many patients there were to whom treatment was provided in each category listed above during the preceding 12 months; and how many patients were on the waiting list for each category of such treatment;
	(3)  if he will list the locations of providers of gender reassignment surgery that have done NHS commissioned work in each of the last five years; and how many FTE staff, broken down by category, worked at each facility in each year.

John Hutton: Gender reassignment surgery consists of a series of different surgical procedures, for example, female to male gender reassignment may require a mastectomy and a hysterectomy and a series of operations to construct a phallus. The Department collects Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) from national health service trusts on operations specifically for sexual transformation, but those procedures such as mastectomies or hysterectomies are collected separately and it is not possible to identify if these were carried out as part of a gender reassignment operation. Details of the NHS trusts who have undertaken any operations for sexual transformation in the past five years are listed in the table.
	The HES data shows that 89 operations were undertaken for male to female gender reassignment surgery in 2001–02. No operations for female to male gender reassignment were recorded during this period.
	Information on the numbers of psychiatric assessments undertaken for gender dysphoria are currently not collected centrally. The mental health minimum dataset will collect data for the first time on psychiatric assessments from April 2003.
	Information on waiting lists and the number of full time equivalent staff and sessions per week devoted to treating patients with gender dysphoria and those working in gender dysphoria clinics is not collected centrally.

Havering (GP Statistics)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on General Practitioner numbers in the London borough of Havering; and what plans he has to increase their number.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Hornchurch (John Cryer) on 28 January 2003, Official Report, column 807W.

Health Protection Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secre tary of State for Health why there has been a delay in appointing a chief executive for the Health Protection Agency; and when he expects to make an appointment.

Hazel Blears: The original timetable for appointing the Health Protection Agency (HPA) shadow chief executive officer (CEO) had been for the end of October 2002, to enable the incoming shadow chair of the HPA to participate in the appointment procedure.
	Following advertisements in the national press and professional journals, it was felt that the field of responses could be strengthened and that, given the importance of the role of the new Agency, the assistance of executive search consultants should be sought to advise on and co-ordinate the appointment. This was undertaken during November and December 2002, enabling competitive interviews to be held in early January.
	The result of that process has been the announcement of the CEO appointment, Dr Pat Troop, on 27 January 2003.

Health Protection Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the establishment of the Health Protection Agency as a special health authority.

Hazel Blears: We aim to establish the Health Protection Agency as a special health authority from 1 April 2003.

Health Protection Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes he expects in the levels of surveillance of health care associated infections as a consequence of the establishment of the Health Protection Agency and the transfer of microbiology services from the public health laboratory service to NHS laboratories.

Hazel Blears: As the establishment of the Health Protection Agency (HPA) will not change the current national system for surveillance of health care associated infections, we do not expect any difference in the levels of surveillance.
	The HPA will continue to develop the mandatory surveillance system for health care associated infections. The second phase of which will be introduced shortly.

Health Protection Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what transitional funding will be allocated to the Health Protection Agency in 2003–04 to cover redundancies; and what estimate he has made of the number of likely redundancies.

Hazel Blears: Decisions have not yet been made on the Department of Health central budget programme for 2003–04 so the overall sum available to the Health Protection Agency including funding for any redundancies is not yet finalised. The HPA will not be able to agree its organisational structures until after its board has been appointed, so staff could not be identified as being at risk of redundancy until then. If staff are identified as being at risk they will be guaranteed employment for a period of 12 months from 1 April 2003 under the agreed change management protocol.

Health Protection Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to publish the result of the consultation on the creation of the Health Protection Agency.

Hazel Blears: We received over 200 written responses to the consultation paper on the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Our decision to proceed with the HPA's creation, first as a special health authority and subsequently as a non-departmental public body, takes account of the widespread support for establishing the HPA.
	Because the consultation paper set out proposals for creating the HPA by Regulatory Reform Order, it did not simply invite views on general principles but made relatively detailed proposals about the nature of the legislation needed. Many of the responses similarly made detailed points. We are continuing to consider these points in deciding on the details of the legislation to establish the agency. We aim to publish a report on the consultation exercise at the same time as our proposals for changes to primary legislation, since at that stage we shall best be able to show how we have taken into account the detailed points made.
	Copies of the responses, except where respondents requested otherwise, will be placed in the Library.

Hospices

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the bed capacity is of the hospice network in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the East Cheshire NHS Trust area.

Hazel Blears: There are approximately 2,460 specialist palliative care beds in the voluntary sector and 598 beds in the national health service in the United Kingdom. The bed capacity in East Cheshire NHS Trust area is 15.

HPA

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what legal requirements there are for consultation with future HPA staff on changes to terms and conditions; if these consultations will be required; and whether they will be completed by 1 April.

Hazel Blears: Staff transferring to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) will retain their terms and conditions of employment, which apply at the time of transfer, until harmonised terms and conditions of employment are agreed with recognised trade unions. The HPA, as a special health authority, will adopt national health service terms and conditions of employment for new employees.
	It is the intention to establish the HPA as an non departmental public body when legislative time permits. It would then be a matter for the HPA board to determine, subject to consultation, what terms and conditions will apply.

Infections (Healthcare Settings)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers the (a) Health Protection Agency and (b) Commission for Health Improvement have to combat infections in healthcare settings.

Hazel Blears: The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) reviews and monitors compliance with the national infection control standard for acute trusts during their routine clinical governance reviews. The CHI undertakes a rolling four-year inspection of hospital trusts' systems and processes for monitoring and improving services. These clinical governance reviews, among other things, assess the compliance with national standards and identifies where further action needs to be taken. Conversely, the CHI also praises and highlights best practice from which the rest of the National Health Service can learn. As at 24 January 2003, CHI had completed 220 clinical governance reviews across a range of NHS bodies.
	Health Protection: A Consultation Document on creating a health protection agency (June 2002), proposed that the Health Protection Agency (HPA) "will work with the Commission for Health Improvement where there are serious deficiencies in standards of infection control in hospitals, primary care or other health care premises" (paragraph 4.12).
	Having considered the responses to the consultation, we aim to establish the HPA as a special health authority from 1 April 2003 and subsequently as a non-departmental public body when legislative time allows. The powers to be given to the HPA will be a matter for the legislation: it remains our intention that it should be able to work with the CHI and subsequently with the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection.

Junior Doctors

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to NHS providers in the Thames Valley area during 2003–04 of implementing planned reductions in junior doctors' hours.

John Hutton: Disregarding annual inflationary awards, we estimate that reducing all junior doctors' hours to below 56 per week will result in a saving to the national health service pay bill of some 15 million between 2003–04 and 2004–05.
	This saving must be offset against potential costs where it may be necessary to either employ more doctors or other staff to cover hours lost or to make appropriate alternative service provision. This will be dependent on local circumstances and will differ from trust to trust and area to area.
	These costs are still under discussion between provider trusts and primary care trusts.

Kava-kava

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the Medicines Control Agency's (a) analysis of consumers' reasons for using Kava-kava, and potential hazards created by regulating kava-kava off the market and (b) assessment of consumers accessing Kava-kava product of unknown quality via the Internet and other direct marketing strategies.

Hazel Blears: Unlicensed herbal remedies containing kava-kava on sale before The Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (Prohibition) Order 2002 came into force could only lawfully have been sold without any written indications. Traditionally Kava-kava has been used to treat anxiety, tension, restlessness and bladder discomfort. However, consumers may use Kava-kava for many reasons. The test for making a prohibition order under section 62 of the Medicines Act 1968 is whether this is necessary in the interests of safety.
	Any website reported to the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) that appears to be in breach of regulations regarding advertising, sale and supply of medicines is investigated. The MCA works closely with other Government Departments and law enforcement authorities, both in the United Kingdom and abroad, in an effort to identify and take action where appropriate.
	There is evidence, both from the UK and internationally, that some unlicensed herbal remedies may be of poor quality and in some cases may pose a threat to public health. However, this problem is not restricted to products sold on the internet or via other direct marketing strategies. Subject to the successful conclusion of negotiations, the proposed Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products would provide a regulatory regime, which should allow the public to choose from a wide range of herbal remedies, made to assured standards of safety, quality and information. In turn this would make it possible for the public to be given much clearer advice than is currently possible about how to avoid unregulated herbal medicines which may pose a risk to health.
	A number of papers are available in the Library relating to the considerations which led to The Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (Prohibition) Order 2002. Beyond these the MCA does not hold additional analyses covering the issues raised in this question.

Meat Imports

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis the Food Standards Agency advised against banning imports to the United Kingdom of meat from abattoirs in other European Union member states and third countries which have previously sent beef with specified risk material still attached.

Hazel Blears: In line with Government policy, the Food Standards Agency considers that action to deal with the problem of specified risk material in meat of non-United Kingdom origin should be taken within the established system of European law and in co-operation with competent authorities in European Union Member States and in third countries. The UK is therefore working closely with the European Commission and relevant Member States on this issue.
	The Commission has been fully supportive of the actions the UK has taken to date in dealing with the matter.
	Most meat arriving in the UK fully complies with EU law. That which is found not to do so is detained and disposed of.

Medical Trainees

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of medical students and training grade doctors who intend to enter into a career in general practice.

John Hutton: The most recent study of young doctors' career intentions has been undertaken by the medical careers research group (MCRG) of the University of Oxford. The MCRG's survey of doctors during their first year after graduation shows that the percentage of doctors who intended to enter general practice has risen from 20 per cent. in 1997 to 25.5 per cent.
	There is evidence that a higher number of medical graduates become general practitioners than indicated an initial preference to do so when first surveyed during their pre-registration house officer year. The number of junior doctors choosing to train for general practice has been increasing steadily each year since 1997. The Department's work force census in March 2002 showed an increase of 565, 42 per cent., in the number of GP registrars since 1997. Prior to that there has been a reduction of 334 GP registrars from 1991 to 1996.
	The Department has implemented a number of measures to make the profession more attractive. These include:
	A GP flexible careers scheme, which was launched in November and seeks to create more part-time and flexible GP posts. In this way it will help to improve the GP registrar conversion rate, attract back GPs who may have left because of a lack of suitable posts, and retain existing GPs.
	GP golden hello payment scheme which pays up to £12,000 to new and returning GPs.
	Family friendly policies including the extension of the national health service child care strategy to include primary care and improved arrangements for maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
	Increasing training places, including new premises to train and employ more GPs.

Medical Workforce

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the NHS medical workforce are immigrants from countries outside the OECD.

John Hutton: It is not possible to provide figures for the number of doctors from outside the Organisation of European Co-operation and Development. Published figures show doctors categorised by country of qualification grouped into United Kingdom, European Economic Area and Other.
	Although data on the individual country is available for most doctors, there are several thousand doctors each year for whom this broad categorisation is the only one available. It is therefore not possible to say accurately how many are from outside the OECD.
	The available figures are shown in the table.
	
		NHS doctors (excluding dental staff in the HCHS sector) by country of qualification, England, 30 September 2001 -- Number (headcount)
		
			  Country of qualification 
			  UK EEA Elsewhere Total Proportion fromoutside EEA (%) 
		
		
			 NHS doctors (excluding staff in dental specialties) 68,700 4,820 20,850 94,370 22.1 
			 Of which:  
			 HCHS medical staff 42,700 3,570 16,270 62,540 26.0 
			 GPs (all practitioners) 26,000 1,250 4,580 31,840 14.4 
		
	
	Note:
	1. GPs (all Practitioners) include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (para 52 SFA), PMS Other and GP Retainers
	2. HCHS medical staff excludes Hospital Practitioners and Clinical Assistants working in medical specialties in hospitals, as many of these will also work as GPs.
	3. All figures exclude Dental staff working the HCHS sector. Figures on country of qualification for these staff are not available.
	4. HCHS is "Hospital and Community Health Services". The sector also includes Public Health staff.
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
	Department of Health HCHS medical workforce census

Ministerial Travel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Since 1999, this Government has published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library.
	Information for 1997–98 was included in the 1999 list. The overall cost of Ministers' visits for the years 1995–96 and 1996–7 was most recently provided with the 2001 list. The information for 2002–3 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.
	Detailed information requested in respect of United Kingdom travel is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library.

NHS Budget Formula

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 8 January, Official Report, column 281W, on the NHS budget formula, what reasons underlay the decision on the timing of publication of the new formula.

John Hutton: The booklet describing the new formula will be published as soon as it has been completed.

NHS Redundancies

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) total and (b) average cost to the NHS was, over the last 12 months for which figures are available, of redundancy payments to managers and administrators in NHS regions in England.

John Hutton: holding answer 5 February 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on the 23 January 2003, Official Report, column 480W.

NHS Treatment Abroad

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to extend the availability of operations in France and Germany to other NHS patients outside the south-east, in the rest of England.

John Hutton: Plans have already been extended and operations are available in France and Germany for national health service patients outside the south east of England.

NHS University

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what remuneration each of the NHSU executive will receive; how many other staff will be employed at the NHSU and at what annual cost; and what the annual expenditure for the NHSU will be in each year between 2003 to 2006.

John Hutton: The remuneration of the chief executive designate of the NHS University (NHSU) was advertised at around £100,000.
	The remuneration for the remaining NHSU directors falls into the NHS senior manager's Pay Range 1 of between £56,790 to £107, 395 per annum.
	The structure and organisation of NHSU is currently out for consultation. We are therefore unable to provide exact figures and costs relating to how many staff will be employed at the NHSU and the annual cost. Further information about the NHSU structure will be published in their first strategic plan, available later this year.
	The annual budget for the NHSU for 2003–04 to 2005–06 has not yet been finalised.

Nicotine Replacement Therapies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made on the long term efficacy of (a) Zyban and (b) nicotine replacement therapies (i) in the UK and (ii) in other Council of Europe countries in reducing the number of regular smokers.

Hazel Blears: There is substantial evidence that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and bupropion (Zyban) are effective in helping smokers stop.
	Guidelines produced to support Smoking Cessation Services 1 assessed the efficacy of Zyban and NRT and concluded that smokers of 10 or more cigarettes a day should normally be encouraged to use NRT or bupropion.
	Most recently the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, in its Appraisal Guidance issued in March 2002, advised that NRT and bupropion are not only clinically effective but are among the most cost effective of all healthcare interventions and recommended they should be prescribed for smokers who have expressed a desire to quit smoking.
	Data about the use of NRT and Zyban across the Council of Europe countries is not routinely collected.
	1 (Raw M., McNeill A., and West R.). "Smoking Cessation Guidelines for Health Professionals—A guide to effective smoking cessation interventions for the health care system". Thorax. London: BMJ Publishing Group, 1998; 531S-18S.

Nicotine Replacement Therapies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of smokers who will stop smoking permanently through the use of nicotine replacement therapies in the next five years.

Hazel Blears: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 20 January 2003, Official Report, column 117–18W.

Nurse Recruitment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 535W, on nurse recruitment, what the cost was to his Department of investigating breaches in the Code of Conduct in 2001–02; and what budget has been set aside for (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 for such investigations.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on Wednesday 5 February 2003.

Paediatric Nurse Training

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric nurse training places were available in each of the last 10 years; and how many applications were received for each training place.

John Hutton: Between 1992–93 and 2001–02, the number of nurses entering training to become children's nurses has increased by over 1,300, or 155 per cent., from 851 to 2,172. Applications to children's nursing diploma courses have increased by nearly 10,000, or 108 per cent., between 1997–98 and 2000–01.
	Nursing and midwifery admissions service data on applications to nursing courses is only available for children's branch diploma courses from 1997–98. Information from 2001–02 is not yet available. Information on applications for degree courses is not broken down by branch.
	In addition, nurses who trained in the other three branches can undertake further training to specialise as a children's nurse such post-registration commissions are not included in the data.
	
		Pre-registration children's nurse training places and applicationsAnnual Commissions(17)
		
			  Total Diplloma courses Degree courses Applications to diploma courses(18) 
		
		
			 1992–93 851 825 26 (17)— 
			 1993–94 909 898 11 (17)— 
			 1994–95 1,137 1,092 45 (17)— 
			 1995–96 1,219 1,175 44 (17)— 
			 1996–97 1,408 1,359 49 (17)— 
			 1997–98 1,493 1,450 43 9,201 
			 1998–99 1,690 1,535 155 15,872 
			 1999–2000 1,830 1,600 230 17,038 
			 2000–01 1,949 1,622 327 19,165 
			 2001–02 2,172 1,725 447 (17)— 
			 2002–03 2,183 1,708 475 (17)— 
		
	
	(17) Not available
	Notes
	1. 1992–93 to 1995–96 from balance sheets
	1996–97 and 1998–99 from finance and workforce Information returns
	1999–00 to 2001–02 from quarterly monitoring reports
	2002–03 data is forecast from quarterly monitoring and is subject to change
	2. Nursing and midwifery admissions service
	3. Figures are commissions for a 1st qualification as a nurse by diploma and degree courses.

Passive Smoking

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on the measures needed to protect the public from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

Hazel Blears: Full information on environmental tobacco smoke is published by the Department in the leaflet, "Passive Smoking—What it is and what you can do".
	We are working closely with the hospitality trade to develop the Public Places Charter designed to provide customers with clear information on the type of smoking policy operating in a particular establishment and allow them to make an informed choice.
	We are also increasing the visibility of health messages highlighting to smokers the risks environmental tobacco smoke presents. This is through regulations to transpose into United Kingdom law the EU Directive on the Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Products. These regulations require tobacco products to carry larger and starker health warnings, on both the front and back of the packet. The dangers of passive smoking are highlighted in two of the new warnings which include ''Smoking seriously harms you and others around you" and "Protect children: don't make them breathe your smoke" The contents of tobacco smoke are also highlighted in a warning saying, "Smoke contains benzene, nitrosomines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide".
	We are encouraging all employers to introduce smoke-free work places. This year the Department is funding local tobacco control alliances across England to carry out projects in close co-operation with local employers to tackle passive smoking and to increase the number of smoke-free environments. These projects vary in nature from the production of smoke-free guides to pubs and restaurants to the provision of advice and support to managers wishing to introduce policies. We hope that many will be suitable for national application.

Patients (Home Treatment)

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is the Government's policy that where clinically possible patients should be treated at (a) home and (b) day centres, rather than be admitted to hospital.

John Hutton: The Government's vision in the NHS Plan is to provide fast and convenient care, available when people require it and tailored to their individual needs.
	We are taking forward programmes of work to increase capacity and deliver a wider range of services in primary and community settings, using general practitioners and nurses with specialist skills, in a modern, efficient and integrated way, which is convenient for patients. This will involve, for example, millions more outpatient appointments taking place in the community rather than in hospital.
	In addition, the day surgery operational guide, published in August 2002 makes it clear that, where a patient requires a procedure that can be performed as a day case, it should be assumed that the procedure will take place as a day case, unless it is not possible or the patient asks to be admitted as an inpatient. Patients receive treatment that is suited to their needs and which allows them to recover in their own home. The risk of hospital acquired infection is also reduced.
	To support this, we are also creating additional capacity in diagnosis and treatment centres, which provide high quality, scheduled, booked care for a pre-defined range of elective treatments and diagnostics. These will be geared towards patient convenience.

Performance Targets

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of output in 2005–06 would qualify as a failure to meet his Department's value for money target as defined in the technical note to the 2002 Spending Review value for money target; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The value for money public service agreement (PSA) target requires that value for money in the national health service and personal social services will improve by at least 2 per cent. per annum, with annual improvements of 1 per cent. in both cost efficiency and service effectiveness.
	It is therefore the cost and quality of the delivered output rather than the volume of output that will be used to measure progress against the PSA target.
	For the NHS, the cost element of the PSA will be measured using changes in reference costs. The quality element of the target will be assessed by comparing the estimated expenditure on increasing service effectiveness with data on quality. A key element of this will be the value that can be placed on the lives saved from reducing mortality following health care interventions.
	For personal social services, costs will be based on unit costs of services, after some adjustments to allow for increases in funding for quality improvements. The quality element will be based on the quality indicators published by the Department.

Public Health Laboratory Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he is (a) dismantling the network of Public Health Laboratory Service laboratories and (b) transferring microbiology services to the NHS.

Hazel Blears: We want to raise standards in clinical microbiology and public health microbiology in all the laboratories serving the health service. We believe that the action we are taking is the best way of achieving this. It includes:
	the establishment of a new post of inspector of microbiology;
	the creation of pathology networks;
	an initiative to secure clinical pathology accreditation for all National Health Service laboratories;
	requiring all laboratories to follow standard operating procedures and meet reporting standards;
	the appointment of regional public health microbiologists.
	The changes we are setting in place will facilitate the creation of a comprehensive network of accredited microbiology pathology laboratories within the NHS, building on the existing networks operating in the public health laboratory service (PHLS) and on the emerging NHS pathology networks.
	The aim is to ensure that the NHS has networks of laboratories, which achieve uniformly high standards; an arrangement similar to that which is proposed for Wales and which has been welcomed by many commentators. The past distinction between PHLS laboratories and those under local management has not been conducive to achieving uniformly high standards in all laboratories.
	The transfer of laboratories away from PHLS does not represent a fundamental change in the provision of clinical microbiology: it has long been the case that the bulk of such services have been provided by NHS trusts and there are several precedents for laboratories transferring from PHLS to the NHS.

Public Health Laboratory Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many service level agreements will be required after 1 April to ensure the continuance of the work done by the Public Health Laboratory Service on pneumococcal disease.

Hazel Blears: There will be no service level agreements to maintain the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) co-ordinated programmes on pneumococcal disease.
	All work for the Department by PHLS on pneumococcal disease is part of the core funding provided by the Department.

Public Health Laboratory Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that accommodation used for public health work is protected when the management of public health laboratories transfers to local NHS trusts.

Hazel Blears: The laboratories transferring to national health service trusts are being transferred together with their current accommodation. We expect that the accommodation which is currently utilised for public health will continue to be used for that purpose.
	It will be the role of local Health Protection Agency public health microbiologists and the HPA regional public health microbiologist to ensure that the public health outputs of transferred, and other, laboratories are maintained.

Public Health Laboratory Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the continuance of work undertaken by the Public Health Laboratory Service on pneumococcal disease, when the laboratory network is reformed.

Hazel Blears: All work currently undertaken by Public Health Laboratory Service laboratories on pneumococcal disease will continue under the direction of the new Health Protection Agency.

Reserve Call-up

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital trusts will be affected by the call up of reservists to serve in Iraq; and if he will list them.

John Hutton: We do not know how many reservists working in the National Health Service may be called up in the event of any military action against Iraq, and as a result the total number of trusts likely to be affected is unknown.

Road Traffic Accidents

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what fees are expected from road traffic accident payments to NHS trusts in financial years (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Total payments to national health service trusts in England, Scotland and Wales from the recovery of charges following road traffic accidents are expected to reach £100 million for 2002–03.
	The amounts recovered for future years will depend on the number of people who are injured in road traffic accidents and who then make successful claims for personal injury compensation. However, increases in amounts recovered are expected when increases in the tariff and ceiling of charges introduced in January 2003 take full effect, which is expected to be around July 2004.

Smokers

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population (a) permanently stopped smoking and (b) took up smoking in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The information is not available in the form requested. The available data are shown in the tables.
	
		Table 1: Cigarette smoking status among adults aged 16 and over, England, 1998–2001 -- Percentage
		
			 Smoking status 1998 2000 2001 
		
		
			  
			 Current cigarette smokers 28 27 27 
			 Ex-regular cigarette smokers 25 24 24 
			 Never or only occasionally smoked 48 50 50 
		
	
	Source:
	Derived from ONS General Household Surveys, 1990 to 2001 (weighted data). The 2001 report is available on the internet at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/2001/index.html
	
		Table 2: People setting a quit date through the NHS smoking cessation services who were successful at 4 week follow-up (based on self-report), England, 1999–2000 to 2001–02
		
			 Year Number who successfully quit 
		
		
			 1999–2000 (HAZ only) 5,800 
			 2000–01 64,600 
			 2001–02 119,800 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A client is counted as having successfully quit smoking at the four week follow-up if he or she has not smoked at all since two weeks after the quit date.
	2. Data rounded to nearest hundred.
	3. Smoking cessation services were launched in Health Action Zones in 1999–2000 and were set up in all health authorities in England in 2000–01.
	Source:
	Department of Health statistical bulletin: Statistics on smoking cessation services in England, April 2001 to March 2002. Available on the internet at: http//www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0225.pdf

Stroke Patients

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work is being done to ensure that stroke patients receive rapid assessment and appropriate treatment.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 22 January 2003
	The Department published the national service framework for older people, which includes a standard on stroke, on 27 March 2001. It sets out a comprehensive strategy to ensure fair, high quality integrated health and social care and reduce variations in services.
	The stroke standard provides for stroke prevention, immediate care, early and continuing rehabilitation and long-term support as components of a service model for integrated specialist stroke services, which will build on current arrangements.
	The target is to put this in place in all general hospitals, which care for people with stroke, by April 2004.

Terrorism (Hospital Preparations)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received requesting additional resources from individual hospitals in order to fund preparations for possible terrorist incidents.

John Hutton: The Department of Health is not aware of any such representations.

Tobacco Advertising

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the long term efficacy of tobacco advertising bans upon the numbers of regular smokers in Council of Europe countries.

Hazel Blears: The United Kingdom does not routinely collect comparable data for the countries of the Council of Europe.
	The 1999 report from the World Bank, entitled "Curbing the Epidemic", stated that "policy makers who are interested in controlling tobacco need to know whether cigarette advertising and promotion affect consumption. The answer is they almost certainly do, although the data are not straightforward. The key conclusion is that bans on advertising and promotion prove effective, but only if they are comprehensive, covering all media and all uses of brand names and logos". The World Bank suggests that implementation of EU Directive 98/43/EC could have reduced cigarette consumption within the European Union by nearly 7 per cent.
	"Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption", the "Smee" report produced by the Economic and Operational Research Division of the Department of Health in 1992, concluded that a reduction of cigarette consumption in the order of 2.5 per cent., might be expected in the long run. This would save up to 3,000 lives a year.

TUPE Transfer Undertakings

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of TUPE transfer undertakings have been drawn up for employees to be transferred to the HPA or from the PHLS to the NHS.

Hazel Blears: It is envisaged that approximately 2,500 staff will transfer to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) on 1 April 2003. Consultation continues between the staff concerned and their current employers to identify any issues relating to the transfer of undertakings from 1 April 2003. Until these consultations are completed, it will not be possible to say precisely how many staff will or will not transfer to the HPA.

Waiting Times

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients admitted to accident and emergency departments in Hull and East Riding waited more than 12 hours before being treated in each of the last two quarters for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: During Quarter 2 of July to September 2002, no patients waited more than 12 hours to be admitted.
	During Quarter 3 of October to December 2002, seven patients waited more than 12 hours to be admitted.
	Source:
	Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust

Zyban

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library (a) submissions to, (b) briefing documents used by and (c) risk analysis carried out by the MCA in its consideration of Zyban in the last two years.

Hazel Blears: I am arranging for the risk analysis carried out by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) in its consideration of Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) in the last two years to be placed in the Library by 10 February 2003. This comprises papers considered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and minutes of the meetings held on 22 February 2001, 24 May 2001, 12 December 2001 and 26 June 2002, the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products Opinin following the Europe-wide review of the risk and benefits of bupropion hydrochloride and a summary of all reports of suspected adverse drug reactions received through the Yellow Card Scheme. These documents encompass all relevant material submitted to the MCA in relation to the risks and benefits of Zyban.
	Some of the papers considered by the advisory committees have been anonymised under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information under exemptions 13, 14 or 15 of the code.